tote

1 of 4

verb (1)

toted; toting

transitive verb

1
: to carry by hand : bear on the person : lug, pack
2
toter noun

tote

2 of 4

noun (1)

1
2

tote

3 of 4

verb (2)

toted; toting

transitive verb

: add, total
usually used with up
toted up his accomplishmentsG. P. Morrill

tote

4 of 4

noun (2)

Examples of tote in a Sentence

Verb (1) toted his dog from the muddy backyard to the bathtub for a thorough washing
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
On the florals front, Camila Cabello carried a block of (melting!) ice with a rose frozen inside from Jane Wade, and Tessa Thompson and Cole Escola both toted fresh flowers. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 7 May 2024 Trimmed with cognac-colored leather with stripes running down either side and a simple tie closure, this bucket bag is structured without being bulky — and has enough space to tote a laptop or books. Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 6 May 2024 Kim Kardashian, who toted her own Birkin bag to an NBA game earlier this year, would probably say no. Sam Reed, Glamour, 3 May 2024 The 30-ounce size is a great Stanley option for the mom who wants solid hydration but doesn’t want to tote around a huge canister. Leonora Epstein, Peoplemag, 3 May 2024 For many applications, the source has to be powerful enough to overcome extreme signal attenuation, efficient enough to avoid having to wheel around your own power generator, and small enough to be deployed in the field without having to be toted around on a flatbed truck. IEEE Spectrum, 7 Mar. 2024 Woda Bag Designed by two Charleston moms, this stylish yet sturdy backpack is perfect for toting all her gear to and from the beach or pool. Moriah Mason, Southern Living, 5 Apr. 2024 Johnson opened her door to find an armored military-style vehicle on her front lawn along with officers in tactical gear toting rifles and a K-9 German shepherd. Ben Brasch, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2024 From dealing with nap math to snacks (SO many snacks), to figuring out how to keep my son entertained, the logistics of toting along our 2-year-old caused maybe 90% of my pre-vacation stress. Cecily McAndrews, Parents, 8 Mar. 2024
Noun
Maybe get really wild and send her one of our gorgeous market totes in SAVEUR’s signature tomato red. Saveur Editors, Saveur, 25 Apr. 2024 According to the Office of Public Affairs, Gonzalez and her associates smuggled hundreds of designer purses, handbags and totes by having friends, family and employees wear or place them inside luggage while traveling on passenger airlines. USA TODAY, 22 Apr. 2024 Like the totes, there's nothing terribly unique about the product, but there's tons of excitement from the market—fueled, in large part, by the zeal of TikTok content creators. Dr. Marcus Collins, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024 This tote, made from lightweight Italian leather, is a literal use-it-forever piece. Perrie Samotin, Glamour, 29 Mar. 2024 Sweatsuits with pink flower designs on each side, T-shirts with the same motif, and hats and totes with Washington Spirit embossed with florals all comprise this new collection. Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 25 Mar. 2024 This faux leather tote has more than 38,000 five-star reviews and is currently on sale for just $15. Amanda Oliver, Peoplemag, 12 Apr. 2024 From the beach to the farmer's market, this slouchy tote has room for your essentials plus lots more. Wendy Vazquez, Southern Living, 4 Apr. 2024 An additional padded laptop compartment makes this tote ideal for work travel, and with two more side pockets available to pack to the brim, this bag should give you no trouble when taking to the skies. Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 3 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tote.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

probably from an English-based creole; akin to Gullah & Krio tot to carry, of Bantu origin; akin to Kikongo -tota to pick up, Kimbundu -tuta to carry

Verb (2)

English dialect tote, noun, total

Noun (2)

short for totalizator

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1677, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (1)

circa 1772, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb (2)

1888, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1891, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tote was in 1677

Dictionary Entries Near tote

Cite this Entry

“Tote.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tote. Accessed 11 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

tote

verb
ˈtōt
toted; toting
: to carry by hand
toter noun

More from Merriam-Webster on tote

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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