What does workbasket mean?
A workbasket is a portable basket used to organize the materials and tools needed for a task. It is most strongly associated with sewing, needlework, and mending: thread, needles, scissors, pins, and other small supplies can be kept together in one convenient container. Wicker and woven baskets have traditionally been used for this purpose, giving the object a practical but also nostalgic character. The word can also refer more broadly to a basket intended for work materials, although a work bag may be more appropriate for larger tools or modern equipment. In ordinary speech, mentioning a workbasket often evokes domestic handicrafts, careful handwork, and an earlier era when sewing materials were transported in a purpose-made basket rather than stored in a general-purpose toolbox. It remains a useful and evocative word because it specifies both the container and its intended function without the broader implications of a generic basket.
nounA basket used to hold materials and tools for doing work, especially sewing or other needlework.
- A portable basket for holding the materials and tools needed for a task, particularly sewing and needlework.
"She carried her needlework and supplies in a small wicker workbasket."
"The tailor kept buttons, scissors, and measuring tape in a wicker workbasket."
"Her grandmother's old workbasket had belonged to the family for generations."
The regular plural adds -s.
"Several empty workbaskets were stacked beside the sewing table."
A portable miniature of a working life, designed to keep every tool and thread in its place.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of workbasket
Workbasket is a transparent English compound formed from work and basket. Work comes from Old English weorc, meaning labor, occupation, or deed, while basket is an earlier English word of ultimately uncertain origin. The compound was used for a basket intended to carry materials used in work, especially sewing, and later acquired a particularly strong association with needlework and household crafts.
How workbasket is actually used
The word remains natural in both British and American English, especially in reference to sewing and mending. For containers of tools or equipment, the more general term work bag or tool bag may be preferred. In some contexts, workbasket can sound traditional or old-fashioned.
Easily confused with workbasket
A workbasket is typically an open, rigid container, whereas a workbag is generally a closable or flexible bag used for carrying tools and materials.