pencil box

noun

1. a shallow covered box, usually of pasteboard, for holding pencils and crayons: used by children as an item of school equipment.

Word History and Origins

Origin of pencil box¹

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

“If you come into a little bit of wealth, meaning if you got a new skirt or a new school outfit or a pencil box, automatically it was like, ‘Where did you get that from?’

From Washington Times

For the Auburn district, making bulk purchases — like 90,000 glue sticks and 18,000 pencil boxes — take planning, budgeting and negotiating.

From Seattle Times

I can go back to my elementary school years and remember clearly fountain pens, pencil boxes and cloak closets.

From Washington Post

A girl’s pencil box is open and askew.

From Los Angeles Times

Her pencil box was nowhere to be found.

From Literature