1
a
: 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
2
a(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
3
: proboscis
especially
: the long muscular proboscis of the elephant
4
trunks plural
: men's shorts worn chiefly for sports
swimming trunks
5
a
: 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)
6
a
: the principal channel or main body of a system or part that divides into branches
a nerve trunk
the trunk of a river
b
Examples of trunk in a Sentence
the trunk of an artery
threw the rest of her books and tapes in the trunk and closed the lid
Recent Examples on the Web
To protect themselves against the jungle’s many predators, the kids hid in tree trunks.
—
Emily Blackwood, People.com, 19 Nov. 2024
The full mesh front was a bonus in some ways—like making tiny socks easy to find quickly—but did not make these cubes a great option for my stank run shorts or soggy swim trunks.
—Joe Jackson, Outside Online, 14 Nov. 2024
Two men wrestled with a tree trunk wrapped in trash bags.
—Blake Nelson, The Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2024
Bystanders gathered and gawked as the creek steadily swelled, while tree trunks, branches and other debris piled up under one of the creek’s bridges.
—Chris Kenning, USA TODAY, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for trunk 
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Emily Blackwood, People.com, 19 Nov. 2024
The full mesh front was a bonus in some ways—like making tiny socks easy to find quickly—but did not make these cubes a great option for my stank run shorts or soggy swim trunks.
—Joe Jackson, Outside Online, 14 Nov. 2024
Two men wrestled with a tree trunk wrapped in trash bags.
—Blake Nelson, The Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2024
Bystanders gathered and gawked as the creek steadily swelled, while tree trunks, branches and other debris piled up under one of the creek’s bridges.
—Chris Kenning, USA TODAY, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for trunk
Articles Related to trunk
Video
Some Odd Words with ISMO: "Junk in the Trunk"
Comedian ISMO on what separates a boot from a trunk
Dictionary Entries Near trunk
Cite this Entry
“Trunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trunk. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
trunk
noun1
a
: the main stem of a tree apart from branches or roots
b
: the body of a person or animal apart from the head, arms, and legs : torso
c
: the main or central part of something
trunk of an artery
2
a
: a box or chest for holding clothes or other articles especially for traveling
b
: the enclosed space usually in the rear of an automobile for carrying articles
3
: the long flexible muscular nose of an elephant or a related mammal (as a woolly mammoth)
4
plural
: men's shorts worn chiefly for sports
swimming trunks
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