backpack

noun. a pack that usually has two shoulder straps and is carried on the back: such as

• The logistics of the trip required that I carry all my stuff in a backpack. Since I didn't want to lug too heavy a load on the hiking leg of the trip, I pared way down.
• I rode my bicycle to the market and rode home with my backpack full of exotic lettuces and basil-garlic baguettes.

noun. a large pack (as of canvas or nylon) that is supported by an external or internal frame (as of aluminum) and is used especially for carrying supplies when hiking and camping

• Each morning, tens of thousands of moms load phones, along with homework, into the backpacks of schoolchildren.
• By wearing a jet-propelled "space backpack," astronauts will be able to move freely in space, making it possible to build, repair, and maintain craft in orbit …

noun. a bag or small pack (as of canvas, polyester, or nylon) used for carrying personal belongings or supplies: knapsack

• I'm soaring above the central Sahara in a powered paraglider, a single-seat aircraft that looks like a flying lawn chair. Developed in France, it combines an inflated, parachute-like wing with a 50-pound motorized backpack.

verb. to carry (food or equipment) on the back especially in hiking

• We had to backpack everything to last the week.

verb. to hike with a backpack