Dictionary

lunchbox en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈlʌntʃˌbɒks/
• (US) audio

Etymology

From lunch + box.

Meanings

1. A container for transporting meals, especially lunch.
   • “If someone assaulted you, if someone offended you, would you keep a memento of their assault? Would you stick it on your daily lunchbox and carry it with you day in and day out?” she asked. 2025 November 6, Dan Mangan, quoting Sabrina Shroff, “DC sandwich thrower Sean Dunn found not guilty of assaulting federal agent”, in CNBC:
2. (UK, slang) The penis when enclosed in clothing.
   • The campaign tagline, 'I've got a tiny packet', is written across [Linford] Christie's trademark impressively muscled upper body. 'Tiny packet' makes us remember that Linford is known for his 'lunchbox' from his heyday as a sprinter because of the bulge apparent in his lycra shorts. His lunchbox and now his tiny packet allude to the diminishing of black men to just their genitals[…] 2015, Encarnación Gutiérrez Rodríguez, Shirley Anne Tate, Creolizing Europe: Legacies and Transformations, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 109:
3. (qualifier:especially Asia) A lunch packaged in a disposable box to be taken away to eat.
   • Jack was carrying his lunchbox with him.
4. (slang) A luggable; an early laptop computer, usually a unit with a handle and a fold-out keyboard.
   • The performance difference between desktops and lunchboxes was practically nil. 2004, Scott Mueller, Upgrading and Repairing Laptops, page 20:
   • You'll find a mix among clamshell laptops for strong laps, lunchboxes, and sewing-machine configurations; the latter two designs typically have detachable keyboards. 1988 October 11, PC Mag, volume 7, number 17, page 93:
5. (slang) A simple portable transmitter sometimes used in phreaking.
6. A cocktail made with beer, orange juice, and almond liqueur.
7. (idiomatic, slang) A person seen as weak and disposable who could easily be sacrificed without much guilt or afterthought.

Forms

Deriveds

lunchbox Democrat

Hyponyms

lunch bucket · bento box · lunch pail

Synonyms

packet · basket · box lunch · package

Translations (53)

sv lunchlåda (container for transporting meals) · cmn 包 (male genitals enclosed in clothing) · ko 벤토 (container for transporting meals) · pt merendeira (container for transporting meals) · el φαγητοδοχείο (container for transporting meals) · is nestisbox (container for transporting meals) · nl broodtrommel (container for transporting meals) · eo lunĉujo (container for transporting meals) · eo manĝoskatolo (container for transporting meals) · ru коро́бка для за́втраков (container for transporting meals) · af kosblik (container for transporting meals) · ja お弁当箱 (container for transporting meals) · nl broodtrommeltje (container for transporting meals) · tl baunan (container for transporting meals) · ru ланчбо́кс (container for transporting meals) · vi hộp cơm (container for transporting meals) · es portacomidas (container for transporting meals) · sv matlåda (container for transporting meals) · pl pojemnik na obiad (container for transporting meals) · fi eväsrasia (container for transporting meals) · ru тормозо́к (container for transporting meals) · ar صندوق الغداء (container for transporting meals) · es tartera (container for transporting meals) · ca carmanyola (container for transporting meals) · fi lounasrasia (container for transporting meals) · pt lancheira (container for transporting meals) · es fiambrera (container for transporting meals) · cy tun bwyd (container for transporting meals) · ko 곽밥 (container for transporting meals) · ko 벤또 (container for transporting meals) · cmn 飯盒 /饭盒 (container for transporting meals) · pt marmita (container for transporting meals) · ko 도시락 (male genitals enclosed in clothing) · it pacco (male genitals enclosed in clothing) · pl krocze (male genitals enclosed in clothing) · ko 찬합 (container for transporting meals) · es portaviandas (container for transporting meals) · hu uzsonnás doboz (container for transporting meals) · ko 변또 (container for transporting meals) · de Brotzeitdose (container for transporting meals) · ru ланч-бо́кс (container for transporting meals) · ja 弁当箱 (container for transporting meals) · nb matboks (container for transporting meals) · cy bocs bwyd (container for transporting meals) · th ข้าวกล่อง (container for transporting meals) · ko 도시락 (container for transporting meals) · nn matboks (container for transporting meals) · de Brotdose (container for transporting meals) · ko 밥곽 (container for transporting meals) · fr panier repas (container for transporting meals) · de Gehänge (male genitals enclosed in clothing) · es paquete (male genitals enclosed in clothing) · es lonchera (container for transporting meals)