backpack

1 of 2

noun

back·​pack ˈbak-ˌpak 

plural backpacks

1

a

: a pack (see pack entry 1 sense 1a) that usually has two shoulder straps and is carried on the back: such as

(1)

: a large pack (as of canvas or nylon) that is supported by an external or internal frame (as of aluminum) and is used especially for carrying supplies when hiking and camping

The logistics of the trip required that I carry all my stuff in a backpack. Since I didn't want to lug too heavy a load on the hiking leg of the trip, I pared way down.

—Daisann McLane

(2)

: a bag or small pack (as of canvas, polyester, or nylon) used for carrying personal belongings or supplies : knapsack

I rode my bicycle to the market and rode home with my backpack full of exotic lettuces and basil-garlic baguettes.

—Meredith Maran

Each morning, tens of thousands of moms load phones, along with homework, into the backpacks of schoolchildren.

—Michael Specter

b

: a load carried on the back

2

: a piece of equipment designed for use while being carried on the back

By wearing a jet-propelled "space backpack," astronauts will be able to move freely in space, making it possible to build, repair, and maintain craft in orbit …

—Business Week

I'm soaring above the central Sahara in a powered paraglider, a single-seat aircraft that looks like a flying lawn chair. Developed in France, it combines an inflated, parachute-like wing with a 50-pound motorized backpack.

—George Steinmetz

backpack

2 of 2

verb

backpacked; backpacking; backpacks

transitive verb

: to carry (food or equipment) on the back especially in hiking

intransitive verb

: to hike with a backpack

backpacker noun

Synonyms

Noun

• suitcase
• pack
• rucksack
• knapsack

Examples of backpack in a Sentence

Noun

stuffed her backpack with so many books that she could barely walk

Verb

After college, she backpacked through Europe.

We're planning to go backpacking in a national park this summer.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Children must be Lake County students and attend the event to receive a free backpack with supplies. —Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 July 2025

The witness made the comment shortly after a person wearing dark pants, a hooded sweatshirt and a tan backpack walked from the direction of the fire, the footage showed. —David Clarey, jsonline.com, 3 July 2025

Verb

Yet for Ward, this solo backpacking trip beneath Scotland’s Cairngorms mountains was about more than stars and s’mores. —Stephanie Vermillion, Outside Online, 1 July 2025

Coast Campground Location: Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County Type: Hike-in tent camping Located an hour north of San Francisco in Point Reyes National Seashore, Coast Campground is the perfect place to try backpacking. —Jessie Beck, AFAR Media, 16 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1897, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Verb

1899, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for backpack

• aback
• anzac
• attack
• backtrack
• bareback
• blackjack
• brownback
• buyback
• callback
• cognac
• comeback
• cutback

Kids Definition

backpack

1 of 2 noun

back·​pack ˈbak-ˌpak 

: a camping pack carried on the back

also : knapsack

backpack

2 of 2 verb

: to hike with a backpack

backpacker noun