glove box

American  

noun

1. glove compartment.

2. an enclosed compartment with openings to which long gloves are attached, enabling someone outside the compartment to reach inside and handle its contents without causing or incurring injury or contamination, as in a laboratory or hospital.

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glove box British  

noun

1. a closed box in which toxic or radioactive substances can be handled by an operator who places his hands through protective gloves sealed to the box

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Etymology

Origin of glove box

1855–60 for earlier sense

Example Sentences

He had kept some papers in the glove box of the truck, but of course the thieves had taken those, and they were gone now.

From Slate • Jan. 27, 2026

Rick keeps the vehicle code in his glove box and proceeded to show the officer the line, “You may make a right turn on a red light,” not must.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 4, 2023

The ID and the title and all that in the glove box.

From Salon • Jul. 12, 2023

Scientists there will carefully open the inner container, handling it inside a glove box to keep out all contaminants, to retrieve some of the only pristine primordial bits of asteroid ever to reach Earth's surface.

From Scientific American • Jun. 17, 2023

As soon as we climbed into his truck in the parking lot at Vista Driving Range, Cade reached across the cab and pulled open the glove box.

From "100 Sideways Miles" by Andrew Smith