dunnage

noun

dun·​nage ˈdə-nij 

1

: loose materials used to support and protect cargo in a ship's hold

also : padding in a shipping container

2

: baggage

Did you know?

Is There a dunnage and Cheese Connection?

Etymologists don't know the exact origin of dunnage. Some have pointed out the similarity of the word to dünne twige, a Low German term meaning "brushwood," but no one has ever proven the two are related. Others have speculated that it derives from Dunlop, the name of a famous cheese-making town in Scotland; however, neither the town nor the cheese has any connection to dunnage. Truth be told, though dunnage has been with us since the 15th century, its etymological history remains a mystery.

Examples of dunnage in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But not before stepping into Bowmore’s oldest dunnage warehouse to hand fill a bottle of single malt that’s been maturing there since 1998. —Brad Japhe, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024

The company operates traditional Speyside dunnage warehouses with earthen floors and barrels stacked three high. —Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2023

Not surprising, it was matured in Warehouse #2, an old dunnage warehouse just 150 feet from the shore of the Cromarty Firth on the North Sea. —Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2021

The mash tun, the still room and the dunnage warehouse all date back to the original 1830 construction. —Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 27 Apr. 2021

Orbis manufactures plastic reusable totes, bulk containers, pallets and dunnage. —Rick Barrett, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2018

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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