The trunk of a tree is its main stem, the thick woody column that rises from the roots and supports all the branches above. When you lean against a tree, you're touching the trunk. Inside that solid exterior, the tree moves water up from the soil and sends nutrients throughout its structure. Some tree trunks grow so massive that it would take ten people holding hands to circle around them.

An elephant's trunk is something entirely different: a long, flexible nose that works like an arm, a hand, and a straw all combined. Elephants use their trunks to grab food, spray water, lift heavy logs, and even hug each other. A trunk contains over 40,000 muscles but no bones, making it both incredibly strong and remarkably gentle. An elephant can use its trunk to pluck a single blade of grass or uproot an entire tree.

A trunk can also mean a large, sturdy box used for storage or travel. Before suitcases with wheels became common, people packed their belongings in heavy trunks, often covered in leather or metal. Old steamer trunks from the early 1900s had flat tops so they could stack in ship cabins. Today you might find an antique trunk in someone's attic, or use the trunk of a car to carry sports equipment or groceries.