the main stem of a tree; usually covered with bark; the bole is usually the part that is commercially useful for lumber
"The old oak's massive trunk stretched high into the canopy, its rough bark hiding years of commercial timber potential."
luggage consisting of a large strong case used when traveling or for storage
"After packing our clothes into two heavy trunks, we loaded them onto the roof rack before heading to the airport."
compartment in an automobile that carries luggage or shopping or tools
"he put his golf bag in the trunk"
Part of a body.
"After falling down the stairs, he couldn't move his trunk without feeling sharp pain in his back."
The usually single, more or less upright part of a tree, between the roots and the branches: the tree trunk.
"The storm snapped off several large limbs from the old oak's thick trunk."
In plain English: A trunk is the main, thick part of an elephant's body that it uses to grab things and spray water.
"The elephant used its long trunk to pick up the coconut from the ground."
To lop off; to curtail; to truncate.
"The storm lopped off several branches from the old oak, leaving a jagged trunk where the limbs used to be."
In plain English: To trunk something means to put it inside a vehicle's storage area at the back.
"The old car began to smoke and emit a foul smell before it caught fire."
Usage: Use this verb when describing an action that physically cuts or removes the end of something, such as pruning a tree branch or shortening a document. It is often confused with similar terms like "trim," but specifically implies severing rather than just tidying up.
The word "trunk" comes from Old French tronc, which originally meant a tree trunk or even a headless body. It ultimately derives from the Latin truncus, referring to something that has been cut off or maimed, such as a lopped tree branch.