trunk


Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Financial, Acronyms, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

trunk

 (trŭngk)
n.
1.
a. The main woody axis of a tree.
b. Architecture The shaft of a column.
2.
a. The body of a human or other vertebrate, excluding the head and limbs.
b. The thorax of an insect.
3. A proboscis, especially the long prehensile proboscis of an elephant.
4.
a. A main body, apart from tributaries or appendages.
b. The main stem of a blood vessel or nerve apart from the branches.
5. A trunk line.
6. A chute or conduit.
7. Nautical
a. A watertight shaft connecting two or more decks.
b. The housing for the centerboard of a vessel.
8. Nautical Any of certain structures projecting above part of a main deck, as:
a. A covering over the hatches of a ship.
b. An expansion chamber on a tanker.
c. A cabin on a small boat.
9.
a. A covered compartment for luggage and storage, generally at the rear of an automobile.
b. A large packing case or box that clasps shut, used as luggage or for storage.
10. trunks Shorts worn for swimming or other athletics.

[Middle English trunke, from Old French tronc, from Latin truncus; see terə- in Indo-European roots.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

trunk

(trʌŋk)
n
1. (Botany) the main stem of a tree, usually thick and upright, covered with bark and having branches at some distance from the ground
2. (Furniture) a large strong case or box used to contain clothes and other personal effects when travelling and for storage
3. (Anatomy) anatomy the body excluding the head, neck, and limbs; torso
4. (Zoology) the elongated prehensile nasal part of an elephant; proboscis
5. (Automotive Engineering) 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
6. (Anatomy) anatomy the main stem of a nerve, blood vessel, etc
7. (Nautical Terms) nautical a watertight boxlike cover within a vessel with its top above the waterline, such as one used to enclose a centreboard
8. (Building) 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.
[C15: from Old French tronc, from Latin truncus, from truncus (adj) lopped]
ˈtrunkˌful n
ˈtrunkless adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

trunk

(trʌŋk)

n.
1. the main stem of a tree, as distinct from the branches and roots.
2. a large sturdy box or case for holding or transporting clothes, personal effects, etc.
3. a large compartment, usu. in the rear of an automobile, for holding luggage, a spare tire, etc.
4. the body of a person or an animal excluding the head and appendages; torso.
5. the long, flexible cylindrical nasal appendage of the elephant.
6. the main channel, artery, or line in a river, railroad, highway, or other tributary system.
7.
a. a telephone line or channel between two central offices or switching devices.
b. a telegraph line or channel between two main or central offices.
8. the main body of an artery, nerve, or the like, as distinct from its branches.
9. trunks, brief shorts, worn by men chiefly for boxing, swimming, and track.
10. the shaft of a column.
[1400–50; late Middle English trunke < Latin truncus, n. use of adj.: mutilated, lopped off]
trunk′ful, n., pl. -fuls.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

trunk

  • billet - A civilian house where soldiers are lodged temporarily; a billet is also a thick piece of wood, from Latin billa/billus, "branch, trunk."
  • trunk - As a box or chest, it was originally made from a tree trunk.
  • bole - Another name for the trunk of a tree.
  • stocky - A derivative of stock, which first meant "trunk, block of wood," in Old English.
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.

boot

trunk

In British English, the boot of a car is the covered space, usually at the back, where you put things such as luggage or shopping.

Is the boot open?

In American English, this part of a car is called the trunk.

We put our bags in the trunk.
Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.trunk - the main stem of a treetrunk - the main stem of a tree; usually covered with bark; the bole is usually the part that is commercially useful for lumber
tree - a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
stalk, stem - a slender or elongated structure that supports a plant or fungus or a plant part or plant organ
bark - tough protective covering of the woody stems and roots of trees and other woody plants
2.trunk - luggage consisting of a large strong case used when traveling or for storagetrunk - luggage consisting of a large strong case used when traveling or for storage
baggage, luggage - cases used to carry belongings when traveling
footlocker, locker - a trunk for storing personal possessions; usually kept at the foot of a bed (as in a barracks)
trunk lid - hinged lid for a trunk
3.trunk - the body excluding the head and neck and limbstrunk - the body excluding the head and neck and limbs; "they moved their arms and legs and bodies"
body, organic structure, physical structure - the entire structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being); "he felt as if his whole body were on fire"
body part - any part of an organism such as an organ or extremity
diaphragm, midriff - (anatomy) a muscular partition separating the abdominal and thoracic cavities; functions in respiration
shoulder - the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm
articulatio humeri, shoulder joint, shoulder - a ball-and-socket joint between the head of the humerus and a cavity of the scapula
serratus, serratus muscles - any of several muscles of the trunk
side - either the left or right half of a body; "he had a pain in his side"
chest, pectus, thorax - the part of the human torso between the neck and the diaphragm or the corresponding part in other vertebrates
midriff, midsection, middle - the middle area of the human torso (usually in front); "young American women believe that a bare midriff is fashionable"
waist, waistline - the narrowing of the body between the ribs and hips
paunch, belly - a protruding abdomen
love handle, spare tire - excess fat around the waistline
hip - either side of the body below the waist and above the thigh
haunch - the hip and buttock and upper thigh in human beings
abdomen, belly, stomach, venter - the region of the body of a vertebrate between the thorax and the pelvis
back, dorsum - the posterior part of a human (or animal) body from the neck to the end of the spine; "his back was nicely tanned"
behind, buns, buttocks, hind end, hindquarters, keister, nates, posterior, prat, derriere, fanny, rear end, tooshie, tush, fundament, seat, backside, tail end, stern, rump, bottom, bum, can, rear, tail - the fleshy part of the human body that you sit on; "he deserves a good kick in the butt"; "are you going to sit on your fanny and do nothing?"
buttock, cheek - either of the two large fleshy masses of muscular tissue that form the human rump
loins - the region of the hips and groin and lower abdomen
4.trunk - compartment in an automobile that carries luggage or shopping or toolstrunk - compartment in an automobile that carries luggage or shopping or tools; "he put his golf bag in the trunk"
boot - British term for the luggage compartment in a car
auto, automobile, car, motorcar, machine - a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine; "he needs a car to get to work"
compartment - a partitioned section, chamber, or separate room within a larger enclosed area
5.trunk - a long flexible snout as of an elephanttrunk - a long flexible snout as of an elephant
neb, snout - a long projecting or anterior elongation of an animal's head; especially the nose
elephant - five-toed pachyderm
mammoth - any of numerous extinct elephants widely distributed in the Pleistocene; extremely large with hairy coats and long upcurved tusks
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

trunk

noun
1. stem, stock, stalk, bole toadstools growing on fallen tree trunks
2. chest, case, box, crate, bin, suitcase, locker, coffer, casket, portmanteau, kist (Scot. & Northern English dialect) He had left most of his records in a trunk in the attic.
3. body, torso Simultaneously, raise your trunk 6 inches above the ground.
4. snout, nose, proboscis It could exert the suction power of an elephant's trunk.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
Translations
جِذْعجِذْع جِسْم الإنْسانخُرْطوم الفيلخُرْطُومُ الفِيلصُنْدُوق
chobotkmenkufrtrupbedna
snabelkistekropkufferttræstamme
kärsäkirstupuunrunko
deblokovčegsurlaprtljažniksanduk
törzsbőröndfatörzs
bolur, búkurfílsranikoffort, kistaskott, farangursgeymslatrjábolur
トランク行李長持
나무 줄기트렁크
skrynia
bagāžas nodalījumsceļasomačemodānslāderumpis
debloprtljažnikrileczaboj
deblokovčegsandukstablostrom
snabelstamtrunkkoffert
งวงลำต้นหีบใส่ของ
sandıkağaç gövdesiarabanın bagajıbüyük bavulfil hortumu
rươngthân câyvòi

trunk

[trʌŋk]
A. N
1. [of tree] → tronco m
2. (Anat) (= human torso) → tronco m
3. [of elephant] → trompa f
4. (= big suitcase) → baúl m
5. (US) (= boot of car) → maletero m, baúl m (LAm), cajuela f (Mex), maletera f (S. Cone)
B. CPD trunk call N (Brit) (Telec) → conferencia f (interurbana)
to make a trunk callllamar a larga distancia
trunk line N (Rail) → línea f troncal (Telec) → línea f principal
trunk road N (Brit) → carretera f principal
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

trunk

[ˈtrʌŋk] n
[tree] → tronc m
[elephant] → trompe f
(for luggage, storage)malle f
(US) [car] → coffre m
[body] → tronc mtrunk call n (British) (old-fashioned)communication f interurbainetrunk road n (British)(route f) nationale f
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

trunk

n
(of tree)Stamm m; (of body)Rumpf m
(of elephant)Rüssel m
(= case)Schrankkoffer m
(US Aut) → Kofferraum m
trunks pl (for swimming) → Badehose f; (for sport) → Shorts pl; a pair of trunkseine Badehose; (for sport) (→ ein Paar nt) → Shorts pl; (Brit: = underwear) → eine Unterhose

trunk

:
trunk call
n (Brit Telec) → Ferngespräch nt
trunk hose
n (Hist) → Pluderhose f
trunk line
n (Rail) → Hauptstrecke f; (Telec) → Fernleitung f
trunk road
n (Brit) → Fernstraße f
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

trunk

[trʌŋk] n (of tree, person) → tronco; (of elephant) → proboscide f; (piece of luggage) → baule m (Am) (Aut) (boot of car) → bagagliaio
see also trunks
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

trunk

(traŋk) noun
1. the main stem (of a tree). The trunk of this tree is five metres thick.
2. a large box or chest for packing or keeping clothes etc in. He packed his trunk and sent it to Canada by sea.
3. an elephant's long nose. The elephant sucked up water into its trunk.
4. the body (not including the head, arms and legs) of a person (and certain animals). He had a powerful trunk, but thin arms.
5. (American) a boot (of a car). Put your baggage in the trunk.
trunks noun plural
short trousers or pants worn by boys or men, especially the type used for swimming. swimming-trunks; He wore only a pair of bathing -trunks.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

trunk

جِذْع, خُرْطُومُ الفِيل, صُنْدُوق bedna, chobot, kmen kiste, kuffert, snabel Baumstamm, Kasten, Rüssel κορμός, μπαούλο, προβοσκίδα baúl, trompa, tronco kärsä, kirstu, puunrunko coffre, trompe, tronc deblo, kovčeg, surla baule, proboscide, tronco トランク, 幹, 鼻 나무 줄기, 코, 트렁크 boomstam, koffer, slurf koffert, snabel, (tre)stamme kufer, pień, trąba baú, tromba, tronco ствол, сундук, хобот koffert, snabel, trunk งวง, ลำต้น, หีบใส่ของ ağaç gövdesi, hortum, sandık rương, thân cây, vòi 大箱, 树干, 象鼻
Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009

trunk

n (anat) tronco
English-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
References in classic literature ?
Reckoning the largest sized Sperm Whale's tail to begin at that point of the trunk where it tapers to about the girth of a man, it comprises upon its upper surface alone, an area of at least fifty square feet.
Moti Guj gave ear, and saluted with his trunk. "I am going away." said Deesa.
Here he remains awhile, eyeing the tree, the very picture of misery; but the next moment, receiving, as it were, a flash of inspiration, he rushes again towards it, and clasping both arms about the trunk, with one elevated a little above the other, he presses the soles of his feet close together against the tree, extending his legs from it until they are nearly horizontal, and his body becomes doubled into an arch; then, hand over hand and foot over foot, he rises from the earth with steady rapidity, and almost before you are aware of it, has gained the cradled and embowered nest of nuts, and with boisterous glee flings the fruit to the ground.
Kala Nag swashed out of the water, blew his trunk clear, and began another climb.
The Cock flying up, perched himself on the branches of a tree, while the Dog found a bed beneath in the hollow trunk. When the morning dawned, the Cock, as usual, crowed very loudly several times.
The trunk and feet of the elephant were declared to be exquisite.
The trunk has been kept in my room for safety; but I shall send it down here now."
I looked down and saw him in the main fork of the tree crouching close against the trunk. Instinctively I crouched down upon the thick limb.
Another rut saved him, however, tilting the trunk just sufficiently to enable his violent struggling to drag the foot clear.
The dirty maidservant stepped from behind the trunk, put up her plait, sighed, and went on her short, bare feet along the path.
Of course I don't know how much red carpet a trunk could buy, but it ought to buy some, anyhow--much as half an aisle, don't you think?
He was a little surprised to perceive that the bumping sounds were occasioned by the progress up-stairs of the single gentleman's trunk, which, being nearly twice as wide as the staircase, and exceedingly heavy withal, it was no easy matter for the united exertions of the single gentleman and the coachman to convey up the steep ascent.