backpack

1 of 2

noun

back·​pack ˈbak-ˌpak 

plural backpacks

1

a

: a pack (see pack entry 1 sense 1a) that usually has two shoulder straps and is carried on the back: such as

(1)

: a large pack (as of canvas or nylon) that is supported by an external or internal frame (as of aluminum) and is used especially for carrying supplies when hiking and camping

The logistics of the trip required that I carry all my stuff in a backpack. Since I didn't want to lug too heavy a load on the hiking leg of the trip, I pared way down.

—Daisann McLane

(2)

: a bag or small pack (as of canvas, polyester, or nylon) used for carrying personal belongings or supplies : knapsack

I rode my bicycle to the market and rode home with my backpack full of exotic lettuces and basil-garlic baguettes.

—Meredith Maran

Each morning, tens of thousands of moms load phones, along with homework, into the backpacks of schoolchildren.

—Michael Specter

b

: a load carried on the back

2

: a piece of equipment designed for use while being carried on the back

By wearing a jet-propelled "space backpack," astronauts will be able to move freely in space, making it possible to build, repair, and maintain craft in orbit …

—Business Week

I'm soaring above the central Sahara in a powered paraglider, a single-seat aircraft that looks like a flying lawn chair. Developed in France, it combines an inflated, parachute-like wing with a 50-pound motorized backpack.

—George Steinmetz

backpack

2 of 2

verb

backpacked; backpacking; backpacks

transitive verb

: to carry (food or equipment) on the back especially in hiking

intransitive verb

: to hike with a backpack

backpacker noun

Synonyms

Noun

• kit bag
• knapsack
• pack
• packsack
• rucksack

Examples of backpack in a Sentence

Noun

stuffed her backpack with so many books that she could barely walk

Verb

After college, she backpacked through Europe.

We're planning to go backpacking in a national park this summer.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

But Daniel Penny didn’t let go, not for six minutes, not until Neely was as lifeless as any of the backpacks or briefcases passengers had carried on the train that day. —Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 8 Dec. 2024

Reports of a backpack being discovered come amid the NYPD releasing new images of the suspect in the early hours of Sunday, Dec. 8. —Brenton Blanchet, People.com, 8 Dec. 2024

Verb

Durston Gear View 9 Images Based in British Columbia, Durston builds some of the lightest high-performance backpacking gear on the market, putting it through the absolute wringer of the Canadian Rockies during R&D. —New Atlas, 30 Nov. 2024

Sheahan started backpacking right around the time Trump first took office, although it was also prompted by her divorce. —Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 6 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1897, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Verb

1899, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Kids Definition

backpack

1 of 2 noun

back·​pack ˈbak-ˌpak 

: a camping pack carried on the back

also : knapsack

backpack

2 of 2 verb

: to hike with a backpack

backpacker noun