Suitcase

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈs(j)uːtkeɪs/

Definitions

1. A travel accessory that functions as a container to hold clothing and personal effects while enabling easy transport and organization during excursions
2. An object utilized to store and carry essential items for travel, characterized by its portable design that aids in maintaining order
3. A bag designed for holding and transporting clothing and personal belongings, often used during journeys to facilitate organization and ease of travel

Etymology: The word is a compound of "suit" and "case", and the "suit" half descends from a surprisingly old sense of following. It traces back through Old French "siute" and Anglo-Norman "suite", meaning a following or retinue, to the Latin "sequi", "to follow". In English, "suit" came to mean a set of things that go together, which is why a matched set of clothes became a suit, and the sense of a set of garments is where the word's connection to travel begins. The "case" half has a separate and more physical history. It comes from Latin "capsa", a box or chest, which passed through Old Northern French "casse" into Middle English as "case", a container. Joined together, the two parts describe a container for a matched set of clothes, which is what the word meant when it first appeared in English.

Synonyms: luggage, case, bag, trunk, valise