Etymology

backpacker

B3A1C3K5P3A1C3K5E1R1

Today it means: A traveler whose luggage consists of a backpack; especially, such a traveler who uses hostels, public transport, and other inexpensive services. Full definition →

English backpack ← Middle English pak ← Middle Dutch pakbor.?
Ask AI about its historyChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*bʰeg-der.?
  2. Proto-Germanic*baką
  3. Proto-West Germanic*bak
  4. Old Englishbæc
  5. Middle Englishbak
  6. Englishback
  7. Proto-Germanic*pakkô
  8. Proto-West Germanic*pakkō
  9. Old English*pæcca?
  10. Proto-West Germanic*pakkō
  11. Old Dutch*pakko
  12. Middle Dutchpakbor.?
  13. Middle Englishpak
  14. Englishpack
  15. Englishbackpack
  16. English todaybackpacker

From backpack + -er.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.