haversack
UK[ˈhævəsæk]US[ˈhævərsæk]
n
A sturdy bag carried on the back or over the shoulder, especially by soldiers or hikers.
Morpheme Breakdown
haver
sack
haver
oats
sack
bag
Etymology
The word 'haversack' has a literal and practical origin. It entered English in the 18th century from the French 'havresac', which itself was borrowed from German. The German term 'Habersack' is a compound of 'Hafer' (meaning 'oats') and 'Sack' (meaning 'bag'). Thus, the original, concrete meaning was a bag for carrying horse feed or rations of oats. This functional military and travel item retained its name even as its contents diversified, evolving into the modern general term for a durable shoulder bag used by soldiers and outdoors enthusiasts.
Analysis
Structure: haver (oats) + sack (bag)
'Haver' is from German 'Hafer' (oats). 'Sack' is from Old English 'sacc' (bag, sack), ultimately from Latin 'saccus'.
Examples
The soldier packed his rations and personal items into his haversack.
She slung her haversack over her shoulder before starting the hike.
The old canvas haversack had been on many adventures with him.