trunk
11 synonyms for trunk, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The main woody stem of a tree, between the roots and the branches.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
The main woody stem of a tree, between the roots and the branches.
“The children carved their initials into the smooth trunk of the beech tree.”
Etymology
From Old French tronc, meaning a tree trunk, alms box, or headless body, going back to Latin truncus, "cut off, maimed."
Full origin of trunk →Frequently asked questions
What does “trunk” mean?
The word “trunk” means to cut something short or reduce it drastically. In plain terms, as a verb, trunk usually means to cut down or to bundle multiple communication lines together; as a noun it more commonly refers to a tree trunk, a large storage case, or (US English) a car boot.
How do you pronounce “trunk”?
“Trunk” is pronounced truhngk (/tɹʌŋk/ in IPA).
How do you use “trunk” in a sentence?
Here is “trunk” used in a sentence: “The gardener trunked the hedge back to a bare stump.”
What part of speech is “trunk”?
“Trunk” is a verb.
Where does the word “trunk” come from?
The word “trunk” comes from Latin. From Old French tronc, meaning a tree trunk, alms box, or headless body, going back to Latin truncus, "cut off, maimed.".
Is “trunk” a common word?
“Trunk” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “trunk” have?
“Trunk” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to cut something short or reduce it drastically.
What is the difference between trunk and truncate?
Both verbs mean to cut something short, but truncate is by far the more common choice in everyday and technical writing. Trunk as a verb, meaning to cut short or reduce drastically, is rare and appears mainly in specialist contexts, so truncate is usually the safer word.
What is a trunk line?
A trunk line is a shared connection that carries many signals at once between telephone exchanges or network hubs. It reflects the telecoms sense of the verb trunk: to carry many signals together over one shared set of lines rather than routing each separately.
