What does sacque mean?
Sacque is an uncommon historical English noun with two related meanings. Most commonly, it refers to a bag or pouch, particularly one made of leather and used to carry small objects. It can also name a loose-fitting outer garment resembling a coat, a sense found in descriptions of historical clothing. In literary or antiquarian contexts, “sacque” may appear in the phrase “a leather sacque,” while modern speakers would normally choose bag, pouch, or satchel instead. The word is related to sack and satchel, all of which derive from forms of French sac, ultimately from Latin saccus, a term for a bag. Although no longer common in ordinary contemporary usage, sacque remains useful to readers encountering period novels, historical descriptions, or older dictionaries. Its rarity also requires care: in a modern sentence, sack can sometimes mean a large container, but it does not carry the same old-fashioned clothing sense associated with sacque.
nounA sacque is a bag or pouch, especially a small or leather bag. By extension, it can denote a loose-fitting outer garment resembling a coat.
- A bag or pouch, especially a small or leather bag.
- A loose-fitting outer garment resembling a coat.
"She carried her books in a worn leather sacque."
"The traveller placed his map in an inner pocket of the sacque."
"In the portrait, the gentleman wears a dark, loose sacque over his shirt."
Sacques is the standard plural, though the headword itself is now rare in contemporary English.
"Several worn leather sacques lay on the table."
Sacque belongs to the same ancient family as sack and satchel: words that carry objects on the body.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sacque come from?
Sacque was borrowed into English from French sacque, a word associated with a bag or pouch. French sacque and sac ultimately derive from Latin saccus, meaning “bag” or “sack,” the same source of English sack and satchel. The English garment sense developed by extension from the name of a bag-like outer covering.
How sacque is actually used
Sacque is now rare and chiefly historical or literary. In modern English, bag, pouch, or satchel will usually be more natural, depending on the object's size and intended use.
Easily confused with sacque
Sacque is a rare historical term for a pouch, bag, or loose outer garment, whereas sack now commonly denotes a large bag or container.