sac
1 Americannoun
noun
plural
Sacs,plural
Sacnoun
abbreviation
noun
Other Word Forms
- saclike adjective
Etymology
Origin of sac
First recorded in 1735–45; from Latin saccus “bag, sackcloth”; sack 1
Explanation
A sac is a hollow space or container. While any pocket or pouch can be called a sac, the word usually refers to a small enclosed space that occurs in nature, like a spider's egg sac or a squid's ink sac. You might put your groceries in a sack, but without the “k” a sac is smaller and attached to a plant or animal. Human fetuses grow inside an amniotic sac, and seed plants produce pollen inside sacs as well. Since the mid-1700s, sac has been used to mean "biological pocket," from the Latin root word saccus, or "bag." If you’re not sure which sac to use, it’s almost always the other one unless you’re in biology class.
Vocabulary lists containing sac
Commonly Confused Words, List 4
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Unit 2: Evolution
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The Benefits of Being an Octopus
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
At the inquest on Monday, the court also shown photographs of the area behind a number of houses on the cul de sac.
From BBC • Jan. 29, 2026
Meanwhile, the cul de sac, a street design much in favor with the architects of suburban developments, have become artificial catchments for these highly flammable weeds.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 17, 2025
“It’s quality at-bats, quality outs, moving guys over, getting sac flies, bringing defenses in if you move them over,” Freeman said.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 14, 2025
A sac fly from Kendle in the fourth and a run-scoring groundout by Woody Hadeen pushed the Irvine advantage to 6-2.
From Seattle Times • Jun. 2, 2024
They took no food, living on the large yolk sac.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
