Word
tote
US/ˈtoʊt/
UK/tˈəʊt/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a large, strong bag with two handles that is open at the top. You use it to carry many things at once, like groceries or books.
n. a large, open-topped bag with parallel handles that emerge from the sides of its pouch. Often made of durable fabric like canvas or nylon.
Examples
“I carry my groceries in a canvas tote.”
“She packed her laptop, a notebook, and a water bottle into her leather tote before heading to the office.”
“The rise of the reusable tote as a fashion accessory reflects a broader cultural shift toward sustainable consumer habits and the rejection of single-use plastic bags.”
Examples
simple
“I carry my groceries in a canvas tote.”
contextual
“She packed her laptop, a notebook, and a water bottle into her leather tote before heading to the office.”
complex
“The rise of the reusable tote as a fashion accessory reflects a broader cultural shift toward sustainable consumer habits and the rejection of single-use plastic bags.”
Usage
Often used as a compound noun, such as 'tote bag'.
Etymology
Possibly from Middle Low German tûte, tǖte (“horn, conical paper bag”), whence also German Tute (“horn, bugle”) and German Tüte (“bag, paper bag”). Compare also Scots tout (“a drinking vessel”), Saterland Frisian Tüütje (“paper bag”), West Frisian tút (“spout, toot, kiss”), Dutch tuit (“horn, spout, nozzle”), Swedish tut (“spout”), Danish tud (“spout, nozzle”), Old Norse tútna (“to be blown up”). Possibly ultimately from Proto-Germanic *tut(t)- (“to stick out, protrude”). Alternatively, from a Bantu language; compare Kongo tota (“to pick up”), Kimbundu tuta (“to carry, load”), Swahili tuta (“to pile, carry”).
Clipping of total, with e to distinguish from tot in writing.
Clipping of totalizator.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/tote