knapsack

noun

knap·​sack ˈnap-ˌsak How to pronounce knapsack (audio)
plural knapsacks
: a bag (as of canvas or nylon) strapped on the back and used for carrying supplies or personal belongings : backpack sense 1a(2)
But the 12-year-olds were dumping landslides of books into knapsacks and getting ready to leave, and all I could do was follow them out through the turnstiles and into the start of another summer.Meg Wolitzer
He had a Polaroid camera around his neck and a knapsack on his back.Brian Selznick
knapsacked adjective

Examples of knapsack in a Sentence

grabbed my knapsack from the hook and ran to catch my ride
Recent Examples on the Web One of those unfortunates is the movie’s protagonist, Terry Richmond (Aaron Pierre), a young Black man who is cycling into town, a knapsack on his back, in order to put up bail for a cousin. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2024 Suicide bomber Salman Abedi set up a knapsack bomb in Manchester Arena at the end of Ms. Grande’s concert as thousands of young fans were leaving. Philipp-Moritz Jenne, Stefanie Dazio, and Kirsten Grieshaber, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Aug. 2024 Part of Target’s in-house travel accessories brand, Open Story, this 35L Travel Backpack looks like a regular knapsack, but opens up to reveal separate interior compartments for packing clothes, toiletries and even your laptop. Tim Chan, Variety, 1 July 2024 Both Kaelin and Park testified Simpson wanted to personally load a dark duffle bag or knapsack into the limousine, refusing help from Kaelin. Journal Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for knapsack 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'knapsack.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Low German knappsack or Dutch knapzak, from Low German & Dutch knappen to make a snapping noise, eat + Low German sack or Dutch zak sack

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of knapsack was in 1599

Dictionary Entries Near knapsack

Cite this Entry

“Knapsack.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/knapsack. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

knapsack

noun
knap·​sack ˈnap-ˌsak How to pronounce knapsack (audio)
: a carrying case or pouch slung from the shoulders over the back

More from Merriam-Webster on knapsack

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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