backpack

1 of 2

noun

back·​pack ˈbak-ˌpak How to pronounce backpack (audio)
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
What would happen with the kids and what needed to go in their backpacks? Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2025 Timbuk2’s tuck backpack is lightweight but spacious with a roll-top that expands and contracts as needed. Christopher Murray May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
Some visitors bring multiple vehicles and set up a shuttle at both ends for a point-to-point hike, and others backpack the full canyon, camping along the way. Taryn Shorr-McKee, Travel + Leisure, 19 Oct. 2025 As a teenager, I mountain biked, backpacked, and skied. Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, 16 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for backpack

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1897, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Verb

1899, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of backpack was in 1897

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Backpack.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backpack. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

backpack

1 of 2 noun
back·​pack ˈbak-ˌpak How to pronounce backpack (audio)
: a camping pack carried on the back
also : knapsack

backpack

2 of 2 verb
: to hike with a backpack
backpacker noun

More from Merriam-Webster on backpack

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!