Skip to main content
trunkful

trunkful

2 4.4
An amount that fills a large suitcase or a car's storage space
  • noun
  • /ˈtrʌŋkfəl/
  • US
translation icon : carga de maletero
  • Luckily, I always carry a trunkful of books and field guides in my car, and one night I flipped through every book I had to see if I could find any instances where humans and animals—wild ones—had actually gotten along.

Examples

  • After the road trip, we returned home with a trunkful of souvenirs from the beach.

  • Inside, also, he'd found a gas mask from the Great War and a trunkful of useless notebooks.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • He pulled his trunkful of papers over to the corner of the cave and stood on them.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • A trunkful of surprises

    Academic text (1990)
  • The next Monday, Moses loaded Nola's trunkful of clothes into the car and drove her to the Watona Indian School.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • One morning toward New Year's, I was preparing to leave the nursery with a trunkful of new rose cuttings and ran into Luis Cassells.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • He managed to pack a trunkful of clothes for the vacation, making sure he had everything he needed.

  • The auction house was filled with a trunkful of antiques, each holding a unique piece of history.

Synonyms

truckload
vstrunkful
  • US
45 2.9

A very large amount about as much as fills a truck

is used for luggage or small storage amounts rather than whole shipments
carton
vstrunkful
24 1.0

The usual amount of food or drink in one cardboard box, like milk

is aimed at large personal or vehicle storage, not retail packaging amounts
roomful
vstrunkful
23 2.5

As many people or things as can fit in a room

is for amounts in luggage or vehicle storage rather than whole rooms
boatload
vstrunkful
  • Informal
18 3.5

A very large amount of something

is smaller, applying to luggage or vehicle storage not maritime cargo
pocketful
vstrunkful
7 3.0

An amount of something that fills a pocket

refers to larger luggage or vehicle storage rather than tiny carried amounts
bagful
vstrunkful
4 1.1

An amount that fills a bag, like apples or candies

is used for larger storage in luggage or vehicle compartments instead
bucketful
vstrunkful
4 1.8

An amount that fills a bucket

is more about luggage or vehicle storage, not liquid carrying amounts
shipload
vstrunkful
3 2.5

A large amount of goods carried by a ship

is much smaller, used for luggage or car storage rather than shipments
basketful
vstrunkful
2 2.7

As many things as fit in a basket

is intended for larger luggage or vehicle storage rather than hand baskets
cartload
vstrunkful
  • Informal
2 3.5

An amount that fills a cart, often meaning a very large quantity

is for filling personal luggage or vehicle storage spaces not large wheeled deliveries
boxful
vstrunkful
1 1.9

An amount that fills a box

is for larger travel or vehicle storage rather than small packages
sackful
vstrunkful
1 3.2

An amount that fills a sack, like a large bag of apples

is focused on personal luggage or car storage instead of loose bulk bags
closetful
vstrunkful
1 3.7

A closet full of things like clothes or boxes

is used for travel luggage or vehicle storage instead of wardrobe spaces
vanload
vstrunkful
1 3.4

An amount of goods that fills a van

is focused on luggage or small personal storage rather than delivery loads
purseful
vstrunkful
  • Archaic
1 8.9

An amount of small items like coins that fills a small bag

is for larger travel or car storage, not small personal carrying pouches
wagonload
vstrunkful
  • Informal
1 4.5

A very large amount, like enough to fill a wagon

is smaller, used for luggage or vehicle compartments not whole hauling vehicles
truckful
vstrunkful
  • US
1 2.7

An amount that fills a truck

is for personal luggage or car storage, much smaller than large vehicle loads
tankful
vstrunkful
1 2.5

The amount of fuel a tank can hold

is for solid or packed luggage and vehicle storage rather than fluids
chestful
vstrunkful
1 5.1

An amount of things that fills a chest

is used for luggage and vehicle storage rather than furniture boxes
carful
vstrunkful
1 8.2

A load of things that fills a car

is focused on smaller luggage or storage compartments rather than full vehicles
cartful
vstrunkful
1 3.0

A full load that fills a cart

is used for personal luggage and vehicle storage rather than wheeled loads
shipful
vstrunkful
  • Archaic
1 8.1

An amount large enough to fill a ship with goods or people

is for luggage and vehicle spaces, not massive sea transport amounts
bootful
vstrunkful
  • UK
9.0

An amount that fills a car boot

is used for amounts filling luggage or other large storage spaces
containerful
vstrunkful
3.7

The amount that fills a container

is used for amounts filling personal luggage and similar vehicle storage spaces
crateful
vstrunkful
6.4

An amount that fits in a crate

is for personal luggage or car storage rather than heavy shipping loads
cartonful
vstrunkful
2.4

An amount that fills a carton like a milk box

is used for bigger luggage or vehicle storage rather than small packages
binful
vstrunkful
5.8

An amount that fills a bin

is used more for travel luggage and vehicle spaces than for bins
jugful
vstrunkful
5.2

An amount of liquid that fills a jug

is used for solid luggage and vehicle storage rather than poured liquids
bottleful
vstrunkful
2.2

An amount of liquid that fills a bottle

is used for bulky luggage or vehicle storage rather than liquid measures
rackful
vstrunkful
7.7

An amount that fills a rack

is used for filling luggage and vehicle spaces rather than shelf frames
shelfful
vstrunkful
7.4

Enough items to fill a shelf

is aimed at luggage or vehicle storage amounts rather than shelf items
barrowful
vstrunkful
  • UK
8.4

An amount that fills a wheelbarrow

is used for personal luggage and vehicle areas rather than garden carriers
wagonful
vstrunkful
3.1

An amount that fills a wagon

is aimed at luggage or car storage amounts rather than vehicle hauling loads
boatful
vstrunkful
2.2

A full load of people or things in a boat

is used for personal luggage or car compartments rather than watercraft loads

How Much

truckload
  • US
45 2.9
trunkful
  • US
2 4.4
boxful
1 1.9
handful
81 1.0
cupful
2 1.7

Surface Forms

trunkful singular
trunkfuls plural

Morphology

trunkful = trunk (transparent) = trunk + ful

The meaning is directly derived from 'trunk' + the productive suffix '-ful' meaning 'an amount that fills', so the sense is readily inferable.

Etymology

The word trunkful is made from trunk, meaning a large box or the back part of a car, and -ful, meaning 'full of'. Think of an old travel trunk filled with clothes or a car trunk filled with bags; a trunkful is simply the amount that 'fills a trunk', like a cupful fills a cup.