trunk

[ truhngk ]

/ trʌŋk /

noun

the main stem of a tree, as distinct from the branches and roots.

a large, sturdy box or chest for holding or transporting clothes, personal effects, or other articles.

a large compartment, usually in the rear of an automobile, in which luggage, a spare tire, and other articles may be kept.

the body of a person or an animal excluding the head and limbs; torso.

Ichthyology. the part of a fish between the head and the anus.

Architecture.

the shaft of a column.
the dado or die of a pedestal.

the main channel, artery, or line in a river, railroad, highway, canal, or other tributary system.

Telephony, Telegraphy.

a telephone line or channel between two central offices or switching devices that is used in providing telephone connections between subscribers generally.
a telegraph line or channel between two main or central offices.

Anatomy. the main body of an artery, nerve, or the like, as distinct from its branches.

trunks,

brief shorts, loose-fitting or tight, worn by men chiefly for boxing, swimming, and track.
Obsolete. trunk hose.

the long, flexible, cylindrical nasal appendage of the elephant.

Nautical.

a large enclosed passage through the decks or bulkheads of a vessel, for cooling, ventilation, or the like.
any of various watertight casings in a vessel, as the vertical one above the slot for a centerboard in the bottom of a boat.

a conduit; shaft; chute.

adjective

of, relating to, or noting a main channel or line, as of a railroad or river.

Origin of trunk

1400–50; late Middle English trunke < Latin truncus stem, trunk, stump, noun use of truncus lopped

OTHER WORDS FROM trunk

trunk·less, adjective sub·trunk, noun

Words nearby trunk

truncheon, trundle, trundle bed, trundler, trundletail, trunk, trunk cabin, trunk call, trunk curl, trunk engine, trunk hose

Example sentences from the Web for trunks

And elephants do occasionally use their trunks as snorkels while swimming.

Why Aristotle Deserves A Posthumous Nobel |Nick Romeo |October 18, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
On 18 May, Spitz led Moore to Prien, where they located a large collection of trunks and crates belonging to Schwend.

On the Trail of Nazi Counterfeiters |Dr. Kevin C. Ruffner |September 20, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
His own trunks could do with urgent restyling, away from their current “Spanx diaper” vibe.

Putin Vs. Obama—In Spandex: Wrestling’s New Cold War |Tim Teeman |May 14, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The Border Patrol checkpoint rarely catches drug mules making their way from Mexico or border crossers hidden in trunks.

U.S. Drug and Immigration Checkpoints Take Toll on Border Towns |Andrew Becker, G. W. Schulz |June 18, 2013 |DAILY BEAST

A tornado does not just topple trees, it tears off their branches and twists their trunks until they splinter.

Oklahoma Tornado Devastation: What the Twister Left Behind |Michael Daly |May 22, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
A number of Hungarians collected about a number of bodies at Cambria which had been washed up, and began rifling the trunks.

History of the Johnstown Flood |Willis Fletcher Johnson
It was I who helped her pack her trunks, which she sent in advance to Morainville.

Strange True Stories of Louisiana |George Washington Cable
Some boys had seen them wading it, and stopping to drink and squirt the water out of their trunks.

A Boy's Town |W. D. Howells
Your trunks arrived all right at the 'Old Farm,' two days ago.

The Peterkin Papers |Lucretia P Hale
The sun, now at high noon, massed the trees' shadow close around their trunks.

The Ink-Stain, Complete |Rene Bazin

British Dictionary definitions for trunks (1 of 2)

trunks

/ (trʌŋks) /

pl n

Also called: swimming trunks a man's garment worn for swimming, either fairly loose and extending from the waist to the thigh or briefer and close-fitting

shorts worn for some sports

mainly British men's underpants with legs that reach midthigh

British Dictionary definitions for trunks (2 of 2)

trunk

/ (trʌŋk) /

noun

the main stem of a tree, usually thick and upright, covered with bark and having branches at some distance from the ground

a large strong case or box used to contain clothes and other personal effects when travelling and for storage

anatomy the body excluding the head, neck, and limbs; torso

the elongated prehensile nasal part of an elephant; proboscis

Also called: (Brit, Austral., NZ, and South African) boot US and Canadian an enclosed compartment of a car for holding luggage, etc, usually at the rear

anatomy the main stem of a nerve, blood vessel, etc

nautical a watertight boxlike cover within a vessel with its top above the waterline, such as one used to enclose a centreboard

an enclosed duct or passageway for ventilation, etc

(modifier) of or relating to a main road, railway, etc, in a network a trunk line

Derived forms of trunk

trunkful, noun trunkless, adjective

Word Origin for trunk

C15: from Old French tronc, from Latin truncus, from truncus (adj) lopped

Medical definitions for trunks

trunk

[ trŭngk ]

n.

The body excluding the head and limbs.

The main stem of a blood vessel or nerve apart from the branches.

A large collecting lymphatic vessel.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

trunk

noun

adjective

Origin of trunk

OTHER WORDS FROM trunk

Words nearby trunk

Example sentences from the Web for trunks

British Dictionary definitions for trunks (1 of 2)

pl n

British Dictionary definitions for trunks (2 of 2)

noun

Derived forms of trunk

Word Origin for trunk

Medical definitions for trunks

n.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

trunk

noun

adjective

Origin of trunk

OTHER WORDS FROM trunk

Words nearby trunk

Words related to trunks

Example sentences from the Web for trunks

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for trunks (1 of 2)

pl n

British Dictionary definitions for trunks (2 of 2)

noun

Derived forms of trunk

Word Origin for trunk

Medical definitions for trunks

n.

British Dictionary definitions for trunks (1 of 2)