Bags: meaning, definitions and examples

General term for containers used to carry items, typically with handles. This term can refer to a wide range of sizes and types, such as shopping bags, plastic bags, or handbags.

• She left her grocery bags in the car
• The luggage carousel was full of travelers' bags

A large, often simple, and usually cloth or paper bag used for storing and transporting bulk goods like potatoes, grains, or mail. It can also colloquially refer to an action of firing someone from a job (negative context).

• They filled the sack with potatoes from the harvest
• After the audit, several employees were given the sack

A small, soft bag, typically closed with a zipper, drawstring or flap, used to carry small personal items like coins, makeup, or small tools.

• She keeps her keys and small change in a tiny leather pouch
• The kangaroo's baby was peeking out from its mother's pouch

A large and often sturdy bag with two handles, typically used for carrying groceries, books, or other personal items. It has become a popular item for eco-friendly reusable shopping bags.

• She carried her books in a canvas tote
• Tote bags at the farmers' market are often made from recycled materials

A bag worn on the back, often with two straps, ideal for carrying books, personal items, or gear for activities like hiking and traveling.

• He packed his notebook and lunch into his backpack
• We went on a hiking trip with everything we needed in our backpacks

Used to describe various types of containers, usually made of flexible material like cloth, plastic, or leather, commonly used for carrying items.

• She packed her bags for the weekend trip.
• He carried the groceries in reusable bags.

Generally refers to a small bag or a pocket-like structure, often used to hold small objects or in biological terms, a pocket of skin in certain animals.

• He kept his coins in a small leather pouch.
• Kangaroos carry their babies in their pouches.

Often used in scientific and medical contexts to describe a hollow, often flexible structure that can contain air, fluid, or other substances. Also used to describe similar structures in animals.

• The amniotic sac surrounds and protects the fetus during pregnancy.
• Some fish have an air sac that helps them float.

Medical term used to describe a closed sac-like structure that can be filled with fluid, pus, or other material, often causing discomfort or pain.

• The doctor found a cyst during the ultrasound.
• She needed surgery to remove the ovarian cyst.