luggage

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   The bags and cases you take with you when you travel.

   Grammar: Uncountable; say 'a piece of luggage' or 'some luggage', never 'a luggage' or 'luggages'.

   Patterns

   • pack luggage
   • carry luggage
   • check luggage
   • a piece of luggage

   We left our luggage at the hotel while we explored the city.

   She packed her luggage the night before the flight.

   The airline lost his luggage on the way to Madrid.

2. 2noununcountable

   The bags and cases belonging to one person or group, considered as a set.

   Grammar: Still uncountable; use 'a piece of' or 'an item of' to count individual bags.

   Patterns

   • someone's luggage
   • claim luggage
   • collect luggage

   Please make sure your luggage is clearly labeled.

   Passengers can collect their luggage on the lower level.

   His luggage was too heavy to carry up the stairs.

Common combinations

hand luggage

You can take one bag of hand luggage onto the plane.

excess luggage

They charged us extra for excess luggage.

luggage rack

Put your suitcase on the luggage rack above your seat.

luggage claim

Meet me at the luggage claim after you land.

pack your luggage

I need to pack my luggage before dinner.

Synonyms and how they differ

baggage

Very close in meaning, but 'baggage' is more common in American English and often sounds slightly more formal; 'luggage' is the usual everyday word in British English.

bags

Informal and general; it can mean any bags, not just travel cases, so it is less precise than 'luggage'.

Commonly confused: luggage or baggage?

Practice

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