handbag

noun

hand·​bag ˈhan(d)-ˌbag 

1

: suitcase

2

: a bag held in the hand or hung from a shoulder strap and used for carrying small personal articles and money

Synonyms of handbag

• suitcase
• wallet

Examples of handbag in a Sentence

flies only with a handbag so he doesn't have to check his luggage

her handbag is just big enough to hold her favorite photos and wallet

Recent Examples on the Web

If designer isn’t in your everyday clothing budget, saving up for accessory pieces like handbags and shoes is the way to sprinkle some of the most iconic brand names into your collection. —Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 10 Apr. 2026

But this explanation doesn’t account for another shift – why affluent consumers are foregoing splurges on items like designer handbags in favor of premium groceries. —Fortune, 9 Apr. 2026

The tennis star, 22, took to TikTok on Wednesday, April 8 to address the response to her hair in a new campaign for Miu Miu’s Vivant handbag. —Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 9 Apr. 2026

But this explanation doesn’t account for another shift – why affluent consumers are foregoing splurges on items like designer handbags in favor of premium groceries. —Patrick Van Esch, The Conversation, 8 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for handbag

• airbag
• ragtag
• sandbag
• ag
• bag
• brag
• dag
• drag
• flag
• gag
• hag
• hagg

Kids Definition

handbag

noun

hand·​bag ˈhan(d)-ˌbag 

1

: suitcase

2

: a woman's bag for carrying small personal articles and money