dunnage

noun dun·nage \ ˈdə-nij \

|Updated on: 26 Apr 2018

Editor's Note: Is There a dunnage and Cheese Connection?

Definition of dunnage

1 : loose materials used to support and protect cargo in a ship's hold; also : padding in a shipping container

2 : baggage

dunnage was our Word of the Day on 08/17/2016. Hear the podcast!

Recent Examples of dunnage from the Web

Orbis manufactures plastic reusable totes, bulk containers, pallets and dunnage.

— rick barrett, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Orbis, part of Menasha Corp., acquires South Carolina packager," 4 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dunnage.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Is There a dunnage and Cheese Connection?

Etymologists don't know the exact origin of dunnage. Some have pointed out the similarity of the word to dünne twige, a Low German term meaning "brushwood," but no one has ever proven the two are related. Others have speculated that it derives from Dunlop, the name of a famous cheese-making town in Scotland; however, neither the town nor the cheese has any connection to dunnage. Truth be told, though dunnage has been with us since the 15th century, its etymological history remains a mystery.