baggage
UK[ˈbæɡɪdʒ]US[ˈbæɡɪdʒ]
n
The suitcases, bags, and containers that a person carries when traveling.
n
The past experiences or long-held ideas that affect how someone thinks or behaves.
Morpheme Breakdown
bag
age
bag
container
age
collective/state suffix
Etymology
The word 'baggage' entered English in the 15th century from Old French 'bagage', meaning 'baggage' or 'property packed up for transport'. The Old French term derived from 'baguer' (to tie up) or 'bague' (bundle), which is itself likely of Germanic origin, related to the Old Norse 'baggi'. The suffix '-age' denotes a collective whole or a condition. Thus, the literal meaning is "a collection of bags." Over time, its meaning expanded metaphorically to encompass the non-physical burdens or emotional 'luggage' a person carries from their past.
Analysis
Structure: bag (container) + age (collective/state suffix)
- bag: From Middle English 'bagge', likely of Old Norse origin. Its functional role is the core noun denoting a flexible container.
- age: A suffix of French/Latin origin (via Old French '-age' from Latin '-aticum'), forming nouns indicating a collection, state, or result.
Examples
The airline lost my baggage during the connecting flight.
He entered the new relationship with a lot of emotional baggage from his previous marriage.
Each soldier was responsible for carrying their own baggage on the march.