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Today it means

rucksack

a bag with shoulder straps carried on the back, a backpack

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Where does the word "rucksack" come from? It comes from German Rucksack, and was adopted directly into English (1860s).

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Where does the word "rucksack" come from? It comes from German Rucksack, and was adopted directly into English (1860s).

Rucksack’s story begins in German: Rucksack meant “a back sack.” Literally back sack, from Rucken (back) and Sack (sack). It reached English by 1860s as rucksack. German 'back sack', from 'Rücken', back; Alpine climbers brought it to English. Today, rucksack means a bag with shoulder straps carried on the back, a backpack.

  1. Stage 1 · German · 1800s Rucksack "a back sack", literally back sack, from Rucken (back) and Sack (sack).
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1860s rucksack "a bag carried on the back, a backpack", German 'back sack', from 'Rücken', back; Alpine climbers brought it to English.

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