Suitcase vs. Trunk: What's the Difference?
Edited by Aimie Carlson || By Harlon Moss || Updated on September 26, 2023
A suitcase is a rectangular case with a handle for carrying clothes, while a trunk is a large box, typically for transporting or storing goods and garments.
Key Differences
Suitcase refers to a flat, rectangular luggage item with a handle, specifically designed for personal travel. These are often equipped with wheels and can be effortlessly carried. Trunk, on the other hand, is a bigger, bulkier storage box, often cube-shaped, traditionally made of wood and used for long-term storage or long voyages.
Modern-day suitcases are made using a variety of materials like hard plastic or fabric, and are equipped with zippers. They're convenient for air travel due to their size and design. Trunks have seen a decline in usage for travel purposes and are now more commonly used as storage solutions or decorative items.
The term suitcase is derived from its very purpose: it's a case in which you put your suits or clothes. They can be easily stowed in overhead compartments or under seats. A trunk, conversely, gets its name from the trunk of a tree because of its sturdy nature, and it's designed to protect its contents over long journeys.
Suitcases usually have compartments, pockets, and straps inside to keep belongings organized and in place. Many modern suitcases also have locks or combination systems for security. Trunks, given their historical context, are simplistic in design, offering a large space without many compartments.
In cultural contexts, a suitcase symbolizes travel, mobility, and modernity. It's an essential item for the global citizen. Trunks, however, carry a vintage or nostalgic charm, reminding us of a time when travel was a grand event requiring substantial preparation.
ADVERTISEMENT
Comparison Chart
Primary Use
Personal travel
Long-term storage or long voyages
Size & Shape
Smaller, rectangular
Larger, often cube-shaped
Material
Hard plastic, fabric
Traditionally wood
Modern Usage
Frequent in air travel
Storage, decoration
Interior Design
Compartments, pockets, straps
Simplistic, spacious
ADVERTISEMENT
Suitcase and Trunk Definitions
Suitcase
A portable container for professional items.
The salesman opened his suitcase to display his products.
Trunk
A robust container, often made of wood.
The antique trunk had been in the family for generations.
Suitcase
A rectangular luggage piece for carrying clothes
She packed her suitcase for a week-long vacation.
Trunk
A spacious chest for holding a vast array of items.
He opened the trunk to reveal a world of forgotten memories.
Suitcase
A case with a handle for personal belongings.
He grabbed his suitcase and rushed to the airport.
Trunk
The main woody axis of a tree.
Suitcase
A travel accessory often equipped with wheels.
Her rolling suitcase made navigating the terminal easier.
Trunk
(Architecture) The shaft of a column.
Suitcase
A briefcase used for holding documents.
She had all the contracts in her suitcase.
Trunk
The body of a human or other vertebrate, excluding the head and limbs.
Suitcase
A usually rectangular piece of luggage for carrying clothing.
Trunk
The thorax of an insect.
Suitcase
A large (usually rectangular) piece of luggage used for carrying clothes, and sometimes suits, when travelling.
My suitcase is stowed in the luggage rack.
Trunk
A proboscis, especially the long prehensile proboscis of an elephant.
Suitcase
To trade using samples in a suitcase.
Trunk
A main body, apart from tributaries or appendages.
Suitcase
To smuggle in one's rectum.
Trunk
The main stem of a blood vessel or nerve apart from the branches.
Suitcase
A portable rectangular traveling bag for carrying clothes;
He carried his small bag onto the plane with him
Trunk
A trunk line.
Trunk
A chute or conduit.
Trunk
A watertight shaft connecting two or more decks.
Trunk
The housing for the centerboard of a vessel.
Trunk
A covering over the hatches of a ship.
Trunk
An expansion chamber on a tanker.
Trunk
A cabin on a small boat.
Trunk
A covered compartment for luggage and storage, generally at the rear of an automobile.
Trunk
A large packing case or box that clasps shut, used as luggage or for storage.
Trunk
Trunks Shorts worn for swimming or other athletics.
Trunk
Part of a body.
Trunk
The usually single, more or less upright part of a tree, between the roots and the branches.
Trunk
The torso.
Trunk
The conspicuously extended, mobile, nose-like organ of an animal such as a sengi, a tapir or especially an elephant. The trunks of various kinds of animals might be adapted to probing and sniffing, as in the sengis, or be partly prehensile, as in the tapir, or be a versatile prehensile organ for manipulation, feeding, drinking and fighting as in the elephant.
Trunk
(heading) A container.
Trunk
A large suitcase, chest, or similar receptacle for carrying or storing personal possessions, usually with a hinged, often domed lid, and handles at each end, so that generally it takes two persons to carry a full trunk.
Trunk
A box or chest usually covered with leather, metal, or cloth, or sometimes made of leather, hide, or metal, for holding or transporting clothes or other goods.
Trunk
The luggage storage compartment of a sedan/saloon-style car.
Trunk
(automotive) A storage compartment fitted behind the seat of a motorcycle.
Trunk
(heading) A channel for flow of some kind.
Trunk
A circuit between telephone switchboards or other switching equipment.
Trunk
A chute or conduit, or a watertight shaft connecting two or more decks.
Trunk
A long, large box, pipe, or conductor, made of plank or metal plates, for various uses, as for conveying air to a mine or to a furnace, water to a mill, grain to an elevator, etc.
Trunk
(archaic) A long tube through which pellets of clay, peas, etc., are driven by the force of the breath. A peashooter
Trunk
(mining) A flume or sluice in which ores are separated from the slimes in which they are contained.
Trunk
(software engineering) In software projects under source control: the most current source tree, from which the latest unstable builds (so-called "trunk builds") are compiled.
Trunk
The main line or body of anything.
The trunk of a vein or of an artery, as distinct from the branches
Trunk
(transport) A main line in a river, canal, railroad, or highway system.
Trunk
(architecture) The part of a pilaster between the base and capital, corresponding to the shaft of a column.
Trunk
A large pipe forming the piston rod of a steam engine, of sufficient diameter to allow one end of the connecting rod to be attached to the crank, and the other end to pass within the pipe directly to the piston, thus making the engine more compact.
Trunk
(in the plural) swimming trunks
Trunk
To lop off; to curtail; to truncate.
Trunk
To extract (ores) from the slimes in which they are contained, by means of a trunk.
Trunk
(telecommunication) To provide simultaneous network access to multiple clients by sharing a set of circuits, carriers, channels, or frequencies.
Trunk
The stem, or body, of a tree, apart from its limbs and roots; the main stem, without the branches; stock; stalk.
About the mossy trunk I wound me soon,For, high from ground, the branches would requireThy utmost reach.
Trunk
The body of an animal, apart from the head and limbs.
Trunk
The main body of anything; as, the trunk of a vein or of an artery, as distinct from the branches.
Trunk
That part of a pilaster which is between the base and the capital, corresponding to the shaft of a column.
Trunk
That segment of the body of an insect which is between the head and abdomen, and bears the wings and legs; the thorax; the truncus.
Trunk
The proboscis of an elephant.
Trunk
A long tube through which pellets of clay, p as, etc., are driven by the force of the breath.
He shot sugarplums them out of a trunk.
Trunk
A box or chest usually covered with leather, metal, or cloth, or sometimes made of leather, hide, or metal, for containing clothes or other goods; especially, one used to convey the effects of a traveler.
Locked up in chests and trunks.
Trunk
A flume or sluice in which ores are separated from the slimes in which they are contained.
Trunk
A large pipe forming the piston rod of a steam engine, of sufficient diameter to allow one end of the connecting rod to be attached to the crank, and the other end to pass within the pipe directly to the piston, thus making the engine more compact.
Trunk
A long, large box, pipe, or conductor, made of plank or metal plates, for various uses, as for conveying air to a mine or to a furnace, water to a mill, grain to an elevator, etc.
Trunk
To lop off; to curtail; to truncate; to maim.
Trunk
The main stem of a tree; usually covered with bark; the bole is usually the part that is commercially useful for lumber
Trunk
Luggage consisting of a large strong case used when traveling or for storage
Trunk
The body excluding the head and neck and limbs;
They moved their arms and legs and bodies
Trunk
Compartment in an automobile that carries luggage or shopping or tools;
He put his golf bag in the trunk
Trunk
A long flexible snout as of an elephant
Trunk
A large box for storing or transporting goods.
They stored their winter clothes in a trunk in the attic.
Trunk
A luggage piece used historically for long voyages.
Grandma traveled across the sea with just one trunk.
Trunk
A decorative furniture piece with vintage charm.
The trunk in the living room served as a coffee table.
FAQs
Can suitcases have security features?
Yes, many modern suitcases have locks or combination systems.
What is the primary use of a suitcase?
To carry personal belongings during travel.
What is the trunk historically made of?
Traditionally, trunks were made of wood.
Is a suitcase larger than a trunk?
No, typically, trunks are larger and bulkier than suitcases.
Are trunks considered vintage items?
Yes, trunks often carry a vintage or nostalgic charm.
Can a suitcase be used as a professional briefcase?
Some suitcases are designed like briefcases for holding documents.
Why is it called a trunk?
The term derives from the sturdiness of tree trunks, symbolizing durability.
What material is a modern trunk made of?
Modern trunks can be made of wood, metal, or synthetic materials.
Can a trunk be used as furniture?
Yes, some people use trunks as decorative tables or storage benches.
Can I store my shoes in a suitcase?
Yes, suitcases often have compartments for shoes.
Are trunks commonly used for air travel today?
No, trunks are more for storage or decoration nowadays.
Are suitcases always rectangular?
While many are, suitcases come in various shapes and sizes.
Were trunks used for sea voyages?
Yes, historically trunks were used for long sea journeys.
Are suitcases durable?
The durability of a suitcase depends on its material and construction quality.
How do I choose a good suitcase?
Consider size, material, compartments, security features, and brand reputation.
About Author
Written by
Harlon MossHarlon is a seasoned quality moderator and accomplished content writer for Difference Wiki. An alumnus of the prestigious University of California, he earned his degree in Computer Science. Leveraging his academic background, Harlon brings a meticulous and informed perspective to his work, ensuring content accuracy and excellence.
Edited by
Aimie CarlsonAimie Carlson, holding a master's degree in English literature, is a fervent English language enthusiast. She lends her writing talents to Difference Wiki, a prominent website that specializes in comparisons, offering readers insightful analyses that both captivate and inform.
