Standard Lemma guide

rucksack

noun · 2 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.

  • /ˈɹʌkˌsæk/
  • /ˈɹʊkˌsæk/
  • UK: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: R AH1 K S AE2 K Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A bag carried on the back or shoulder, supported by straps.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Northeastern, UK, US

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: backpack, knapsack, haversack, packsack

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a bag carried by a strap on your back or shoulder

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: backpack, back pack, knapsack, packsack, haversack

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: bag

Narrower terms: kitbag, kit bag

History

Etymology

Borrowed from German Rucksack.

Across languages

Translations

22 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Belarusian: заплечнік (zaplečnik) — a bag carried on the back; backpack
  • Bulgarian: раница (ranica) — a bag carried on the back; backpack
  • Danish: rygsæk — a bag carried on the back; backpack
  • Dutch: rugzak — a bag carried on the back; backpack
  • Finnish: rinkka — a bag carried on the back; backpack
  • Finnish: reppu — a bag carried on the back; backpack
  • French: sac à dos — a bag carried on the back; backpack
  • Georgian: ზურგჩანთა (zurgčanta) — a bag carried on the back; backpack
  • German: Rucksack — a bag carried on the back; backpack
  • Greek: σακίδιο (sakídio) — a bag carried on the back; backpack
  • Hungarian: hátizsák — a bag carried on the back; backpack
  • Japanese: リュックサック (ryukkusakku) — a bag carried on the back; backpack
  • Japanese: リュック (ryukku) — a bag carried on the back; backpack
  • Japanese: 背嚢 (hainō) — a bag carried on the back; backpack
  • Korean: 배낭 (baenang) — a bag carried on the back; backpack
  • Polish: plecak — a bag carried on the back; backpack
  • Punjabi: ਥੈਲਾ (thailā) — a bag carried on the back; backpack
  • Russian: рюкза́к (rjukzák) — a bag carried on the back; backpack
  • Spanish: mochila — a bag carried on the back; backpack
  • Swedish: ryggsäck — a bag carried on the back; backpack
  • Ukrainian: рюкза́к (rjukzák) — a bag carried on the back; backpack
  • Welsh: sach teithio — a bag carried on the back; backpack