Phrase guide

duffel bag

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A large, cylindrical, duffel cloth bag used to carry personal gear, especially by soldiers.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Australia, US, often

Topics: government, military, politics, war

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: kitbag

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A smaller, cylindrical, cloth bag fashionable in the 1950s and 1960s.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a large cylindrical bag of heavy cloth; for carrying personal belongings

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: duffle bag, duffel, duffle

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: drawstring bag

History

Etymology

After the Belgian town of Duffel, which produced the thick cloth from which early duffel bags were made.

Across languages

Translations

26 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Estonian: õlapaun — large duffel cloth bag used to carry personal gear
  • Finnish: merimiessäkki — large duffel cloth bag used to carry personal gear
  • French: sac de sport — large duffel cloth bag used to carry personal gear
  • French: sac de toile — large duffel cloth bag used to carry personal gear
  • German: Reisetasche — large duffel cloth bag used to carry personal gear
  • Greek: λουκάνικο (loukániko) — large duffel cloth bag used to carry personal gear
  • Hebrew: קִיטְבֶּג (kítbeg) — large duffel cloth bag used to carry personal gear
  • Hebrew: שַׂק חֲפָצִים (sak khafátzim) — large duffel cloth bag used to carry personal gear
  • Hungarian: málhazsák — large duffel cloth bag used to carry personal gear
  • Hungarian: táska — large duffel cloth bag used to carry personal gear
  • Irish: mála trealaimh — large duffel cloth bag used to carry personal gear
  • Italian: borsone — large duffel cloth bag used to carry personal gear
  • Italian: borsa da viaggio — large duffel cloth bag used to carry personal gear
  • Japanese: ダッフルバッグ (daffuru baggu) — large duffel cloth bag used to carry personal gear
  • Japanese: 雑嚢 (zatsunō) — large duffel cloth bag used to carry personal gear
  • Korean: 더플백 (deopeulbaek) — large duffel cloth bag used to carry personal gear
  • Lithuanian: daiktamaišis — large duffel cloth bag used to carry personal gear
  • Polish: torba na ramię — large duffel cloth bag used to carry personal gear
  • Russian: вещево́й мешо́к (veščevój mešók) — large duffel cloth bag used to carry personal gear
  • Russian: вещмешо́к (veščmešók) — large duffel cloth bag used to carry personal gear
  • Spanish: petate — large duffel cloth bag used to carry personal gear
  • Spanish: talega — large duffel cloth bag used to carry personal gear
  • Spanish: talego — large duffel cloth bag used to carry personal gear
  • Spanish: bolsa gusano — large duffel cloth bag used to carry personal gear
  • Ukrainian: речови́й мішо́к (rečovýj mišók) — large duffel cloth bag used to carry personal gear
  • Ukrainian: речмішо́к (rečmišók) — large duffel cloth bag used to carry personal gear