Definition of trunk
1a
: the main stem of a tree apart from limbs and roots
— called also bole
b(1)
: the human or animal body apart from the head, neck, and appendages : torso
(2)
: the thorax of an insect
c
: the central part of anything
specifically
: the shaft of a column or pilaster
2a(1)
: a large rigid piece of luggage used usually for transporting clothing and personal effects
(2)
: the luggage compartment of an automobile
b(1)
: a superstructure over a ship's hatches usually level with the poop deck
(2)
: the part of the cabin of a boat projecting above the deck
(3)
: the housing for a centerboard or rudder
4
trunks plural
: men's shorts worn chiefly for sports
swimming trunks
5a
: a usually major channel or passage (such as a chute or shaft)
b
: a circuit between two telephone exchanges for making connections between subscribers
broadly
: a usually electronic path over which information is transmitted (as between computer systems)
6a
: the principal channel or main body of a system or part that divides into branches
a nerve trunk the trunk of a river
b
: trunk line
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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Time Traveler for trunk
The first known use of trunk was in the 15th century
See more words from the same century