footlocker: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Neutral
Quick answer
What does “footlocker” mean?
A long, low, rectangular storage trunk, typically made of wood or metal, originally used to store personal belongings, especially in military barracks or at summer camps.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A long, low, rectangular storage trunk, typically made of wood or metal, originally used to store personal belongings, especially in military barracks or at summer camps.
Any similar storage box; a major retail chain in the US specializing in athletic footwear and apparel.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The physical object is understood in BrE but is far less common and less culturally embedded than in AmE, where it's iconic. The retail chain is a US entity and not present in the UK market.
Connotations
AmE: Strong military/nostalgic/camp connotations. BrE: Neutral, possibly seen as an Americanism for the trunk.
Frequency
Much more frequent in AmE.
Grammar
How to Use “footlocker” in a Sentence
N/AVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “footlocker” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to the athletic retail corporation Foot Locker Inc.
Academic
May appear in historical or sociological texts describing military life.
Everyday
Used to describe the physical trunk, primarily in AmE contexts.
Technical
N/A
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “footlocker”
- Confusing 'Foot Locker' (the store) with 'footlocker' (the trunk).
- Using it as a general term for any cabinet or locker in BrE.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'footlocker' (lowercase) is a common noun for a storage trunk. 'Foot Locker' (capitalized) is a proper noun and the name of a global athletic footwear and apparel retailer.
No. A hope chest is traditionally for a bride's trousseau, a steamer trunk is larger and for travel, while a footlocker is smaller, rectangular, and associated with institutional use.
The concept is understood, but the physical object is not a standard part of British institutional life in the way it is in the US. The term is perceived as American.
No, 'footlocker' is only a noun.
A long, low, rectangular storage trunk, typically made of wood or metal, originally used to store personal belongings, especially in military barracks or at summer camps.
Footlocker is usually neutral in register.
Footlocker: in British English it is pronounced /ˈfʊtˌlɒkə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈfʊtˌlɑːkər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “N/A”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a LOCKER for your FOOTwear and other gear, kept at the FOOT of your bed.
Conceptual Metaphor
A CONTAINER FOR PERSONAL HISTORY (items stored represent a person's life or past).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary cultural association of a 'footlocker' in American English?