trunk

American  

[truhngk] / trʌŋk /

noun

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

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

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

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

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

6. Architecture.

   1. the shaft of a column.

   2. the dado or die of a pedestal.

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

8. Telephony, Telegraphy.

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

   2. a telegraph line or channel between two main or central offices.

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

10. trunks,

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

    2. Obsolete. trunk hose.

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

12. Nautical.

    1. a large enclosed passage through the decks or bulkheads of a vessel, for cooling, ventilation, or the like.

    2. any of various watertight casings in a vessel, as the vertical one above the slot for a centerboard in the bottom of a boat.

13. a conduit; shaft; chute.

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adjective

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

trunk British  

/ trʌŋk /

noun

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

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

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

4. the elongated prehensile nasal part of an elephant; proboscis

5. Also called: boot.  an enclosed compartment of a car for holding luggage, etc, usually at the rear

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

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

8. an enclosed duct or passageway for ventilation, etc

9. (modifier) of or relating to a main road, railway, etc, in a network

   a trunk line

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Other Word Forms

• subtrunk noun
• trunkful noun
• trunkless adjective

Etymology

Origin of trunk

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

Example Sentences

On a tree trunk in Thailand's Khao Phra Thaeo Non-Hunting Area, a tiny male broad-headed bark spider rides on the abdomen of a camouflaged female, waiting for her to moult so he can mate.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

There’s usually one in the car trunk because you never know.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

Pike followed the main line — called the trunk line — which had hoses branching off in other directions.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2026

Unlike the full sequence of rings visible in a tree trunk, a cross section of T. rex bone typically captures only the final 10 to 20 years of the dinosaur's life.

From Science Daily • Mar. 5, 2026

Tomás had brought two chain saws, but they immediately decided it would be safer for one of them to use the saw while the other pulled branches and pieces of trunk out of the way.

From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith

Related Words

• bag
• chest
• coffin
• crate
• locker
• luggage
• suitcase