What’s in a word? Trunk

Hello. This is the first post where I discuss a word that has come up in one of my lessons. Today I’m going to talk about the word trunk. It’s an interesting word because it has several meanings, not all of which are used everywhere in the English-speaking world.

1. A tree trunk

The thick main stem of a tree is known as a trunk. The branches of a tree grow out of the trunk. In the same way, we sometimes call a main road a trunk road in British English (smaller roads branch off from it), and in medicine the main part of a vein or artery can be called a trunk.

2. An elephant’s trunk

The distinctive nose of an elephant is called a trunk.

3. A box

A large box with a hinged lid, and often coated in leather, is known as a trunk. It is usually used for storing and moving clothes and other items.

4. The storage compartment of a car

Americans call the main storage compartment of a car, usually in the back, a trunk. In Britain, Australia and New Zealand, it is called a boot.

5. A person’s body

A person’s upper body, excluding the head and arms, is called a trunk or torso.

6. Swimming trunks

Men’s swimming shorts are known as trunks. Note that trunks are an example of an item of clothing that only exists in the plural in English. It is incorrect to say *a trunk when talking about clothes. Other examples of plural-only items of clothing are trousers, shorts, pants and underpants (or undies). In Australia and New Zealand, trunks are often called togs. Here is quite an amusing advert that used to be on TV in New Zealand in summer.

Tight-fitting trunks are sometimes called Speedos after a well-known company who make them. Not all men can get away with wearing Speedos! I know I can’t. As for women, they sometimes wear a one-piece suit called a swimming costume (British English) or swimsuit (American English), but often they wear a two-piece suit which we call a bikini.