baggage

1 of 2

noun (1)

bag·​gage ˈba-gij 

1

: suitcases, trunks, and personal belongings of travelers : luggage

2

: transportable equipment especially of a military force

3

: intangible things (such as feelings, circumstances, or beliefs) that get in the way

emotional baggage

baggage

2 of 2

noun (2)

1

dated : a contemptible or disreputable woman

"I can buy her off. If she took money from him—the mercenary, painted baggage!—why, then, she'll take it from me."

—Edward Bulwer-Lytton

2

dated : a young woman

Examples of baggage in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

That preventable disaster gave birth to DHS, which, among other things, oversees the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which provides baggage security checkpoints at airports throughout the nation. —Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 28 Mar. 2026

The new Qatar Airways credit cards for US travelers come with perks like baggage allowance, lounge access, and even a fast track to elite status. —Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Mar. 2026

Ex-convict Adèle gets a job as a baggage handler there and quickly realizes that the job requires a lot more than moving luggage from the lobby to the room, as every favor hides a hidden cost and power dynamics shift rapidly. —K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 27 Mar. 2026

Keep steering clear of national baggage and stay laser-focused on Maryland. —Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 27 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English bagage, from Middle French, from bagues belongings, baggage

Noun (2)

probably modification of Middle French bagasse, from Old Occitan bagassa

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 21

Noun (2)

1576, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing baggage

• bag and baggage
• baggage claim
• hand baggage

Kids Definition

baggage

noun

bag·​gage

ˈbag-ij

: the traveling bags and personal belongings of a traveler : luggage