A sturdy cylindrical bag made from thick cloth, often used by soldiers or travelers to carry their belongings.
Named after Duffel, a town in Belgium famous for producing a thick woolen cloth. The fabric itself became known as 'duffel cloth,' and eventually the bags made from this material took the same name. The word traveled from Flemish to English in the 17th century.
The duffle bag became iconic because of its connection to the military—soldiers called it their 'duffle' or 'duffel bag' and the term stuck so well that it's now used worldwide for any sturdy travel bag! It's a perfect example of how a place name can become a common noun for a product.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.