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

Spirit has spent more than a year trying to offer travelers roomier seats and other fare packages beyond the cheap tickets and a la carte add-ons like seat selection and cabin baggage that it’s been known for for years. —Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2025

Not even Edebiri, who’s great at giving you a lot with a little, can salvage a part in which a lot of cultural baggage yields extremely little real perception. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 9 Oct. 2025

And that’s not only because Alex is pissed off Bradley’s back, and her federal crime baggage with her, but because not long before the breaking news hits, Alex finds Bradley chatting in her dressing room with Chip. —Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2025

These updates come at a time when American Airlines has also implemented changes to its baggage policies, impacting the broader passenger experience. —Ben Kelly, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025

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 1

Noun (2)

1594, 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