handbag

[ hand-bag ]
/ ˈhændˌbæg /

noun

a bag or box of leather, fabric, plastic, or the like, held in the hand or carried by means of a handle or strap, commonly used by women for holding money, toilet articles, small purchases, etc.
valise.

Origin of handbag

First recorded in 1860–65; hand + bag

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH handbag

briefcase handbag pocketbook purse valise wallet

Words nearby handbag

hand-walk, hand-wash, hand-wringing, handan, handba', handbag, handbags, handball, handbarrow, handbasket, handbell

Words related to handbags

pocketbook, leather, backpack, purse, bag, grip, hide, clutch, knapsack, portmanteau, reticule

Example sentences from the Web for handbags

British Dictionary definitions for handbags (1 of 2)

handbags
/ (ˈhændˌbæɡz) /

pl n

facetious an incident in which people, esp sportsmen, fight or threaten to fight, but without real intent to inflict harm (esp in the phrases handbags at dawn, handbags at twenty paces, etc)

British Dictionary definitions for handbags (2 of 2)

handbag
/ (ˈhændˌbæɡ) /

noun

Also called: bag, (US and Canadian) purse, (chiefly US) pocketbook a woman's small bag carried to contain personal articles
a small suitcase that can be carried by hand
a commercial style of House music

Word Origin for handbag

(for sense 3) C20: humorous allusion to the trend for groups of women to dance round their handbags in discos, nightclubs, etc