A valise is a small, sturdy suitcase used for traveling. Think of it as the grandfather of today's carry-on luggage: a rectangular bag with a handle, usually made of leather or heavy fabric, just big enough to hold clothes and necessities for a trip of a few days.

Before wheeled suitcases became common, travelers would carry a valise in one hand as they rushed through train stations or checked into hotels. You might picture a detective in an old movie carrying a battered leather valise, or imagine your great-grandmother packing her valise for a weekend visit to relatives in another city.

The word comes from French and has an old-fashioned ring to it. Today, we're more likely to say “suitcase” or “overnight bag,” but valise appears often in classic books and stories from the 1800s and early 1900s, when train travel was the main way people journeyed long distances. If you read that a character “grabbed her valise and hurried to catch the afternoon train,” you know exactly what she's carrying: a compact travel bag holding everything she needs for her trip.