tote

1 of 4

verb (1)

toted; toting

transitive verb

1
: to carry by hand : bear on the person : lug, pack
2
toter noun

tote

2 of 4

noun (1)

1
2

tote

3 of 4

verb (2)

toted; toting

transitive verb

: add, total
usually used with up
toted up his accomplishmentsG. P. Morrill

tote

4 of 4

noun (2)

Examples of tote in a Sentence

Verb (1) toted his dog from the muddy backyard to the bathtub for a thorough washing
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The Trump campaign recently requested military aircraft capable of shooting down missiles to tote the former president around in the weeks before the election. Morgan Phillips, Fox News, 14 Oct. 2024 His painstaking efforts—which involved toting camera gear and traipsing through forests in snowshoes—were rewarded with this photograph of a resting lynx with its adult offspring standing behind it, sheltering from the wind. Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Oct. 2024
Noun
For all that, the focus of the Faubourg Saint-Honoré flagship is also Au Départ’s bag offer, which spans 11 references and 52 variations, ranging from coated canvas totes to large leather bags. Lily Templeton, WWD, 18 Oct. 2024 The shop also sells toys for kids, shirts, hoodies, canvas totes, hats, journals, pens, bookmarks, puzzles and other gifts, like Modern Goldfish earrings, made by Kenna Covington, Tynes-Miller's neighbor. Ashley Mahoney, Axios, 18 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for tote 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tote.' 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

Verb (1)

probably from an English-based creole; akin to Gullah & Krio tot to carry, of Bantu origin; akin to Kikongo -tota to pick up, Kimbundu -tuta to carry

Verb (2)

English dialect tote, noun, total

Noun (2)

short for totalizator

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1677, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (1)

circa 1772, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb (2)

1888, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1891, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tote was in 1677

Dictionary Entries Near tote

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

tote

verb
ˈtōt
toted; toting
: to carry by hand
toter noun

More from Merriam-Webster on tote

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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