duffel bag

IPA/ˈdʌfl bæɡ/
IPA/ˈdʌfl bæɡ/

duffel bag — noun

1. A long bag with a rounded bottom, made of heavy cloth or canvas, that you close

1.nounB1
Definition

A long bag with a rounded bottom, made of heavy cloth or canvas, that you close by pulling a cord through the opening at the top.

Example

Adina packed her tent and sleeping bag into an old canvas duffel bag.

collocation: canvas duffel bag for outdoor gear

The soldier's green duffel bag had a thick drawstring instead of a zipper.

typical pattern: drawstring closure, military context

Common collocations
  • canvas duffel bag
  • drawstring duffel bag
  • duffel bag + drawstring
  • cylindrical duffel bag
Synonyms
  • holdall

    used especially in British English for a similar medium-sized travel bag

  • kit bag

    a narrower term for a bag soldiers or sports players use for their equipment

Usage Note

This sense describes the traditional cylindrical bag shape. Distinguish from sense 2, which focuses on the bag's use for travel rather than its construction.

Common Mistakes

I packed my things in a duffel bag suitcase.
I packed my things in a duffel bag.
A duffel bag is the type of bag itself; you do not need to add 'suitcase'.

2. A strong bag made of fabric or soft leather, large enough to hold personal items

2.nounB1
Definition

A strong bag made of fabric or soft leather, large enough to hold personal items for a journey and usually carried over the shoulder or with a hand strap.

Example

Beatrix packed enough clothes in her duffel bag for the weekend trip.

collocation: pack + duffel bag

Vivek bought a waterproof duffel bag for his kayaking holiday in Thailand.

waterproof duffel bag for outdoor activities

Common collocations
  • pack a duffel bag
  • waterproof duffel bag
  • lightweight duffel bag
  • wheeled duffel bag
  • duffel bag + carry-on
Synonyms
  • suitcase

    usually has a hard shell and a rectangular shape; more structured than a duffel bag

  • backpack

    worn on both shoulders, smaller and designed for hiking or daily use

  • holdall

    British English term for a medium-sized soft bag for travel

Usage Note

This sense is the more common modern use. The bag may have zippers, wheels, or compartments — features that the traditional cylindrical design (sense 1) does not have.

Common Mistakes

I brought a backpacks and a duffel bag.
I brought a backpack and a duffel bag.
'Duffel bag' is a countable noun, so use the singular form correctly.

Word family

  • duffel coat
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

A duffel bag is typically a soft, cylindrical or oblong bag made of cloth or leather, carried over the shoulder or by hand. A suitcase is more structured, usually rectangular with a hard or semi-hard shell, and has a handle and wheels — better for business trips or formal travel. A backpack is worn on both shoulders and is more compact, designed for hiking, school, or daily commuting. A holdall (chiefly British) is similar to a duffel bag but is usually smaller and used for short trips or as gym kit. For example: 'Vivek brought his duffel bag for the weekend kayaking trip, while his colleague wheeled a suitcase into the hotel for the conference.'

suitcase ↗backpack ↗holdall ↗duffel bag ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • duffel bag + drawstring
  • duffel bag + zipper
  • duffel bag + strap

Phrases

  • pack a duffel bag
  • unpack a duffel bag
  • carry a duffel bag
  • sling a duffel bag over one's shoulder

Prepositions

  • in a duffel bag
  • out of a duffel bag
  • into a duffel bag

Etymology

Dutch (Flemish)English

The word 'duffel' comes from Duffel, a town in Belgium where a thick woollen cloth was first made. Soldiers in the early 1900s used bags made from this fabric, and the name stuck even after the bags began to be made from other materials.

First known use

1903

1903, in the meaning defined above