Trunk vs. Body — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on May 6, 2024
A trunk typically refers to the main structural stem of a tree or the main storage compartment in a vehicle, while the body can refer to the physical structure of a living organism or the main structural component of a vehicle or device.
Difference Between Trunk and Body
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
The term "trunk" is commonly used to describe the main woody stem of a tree, which supports the branches and leaves, and is essential for nutrient transport. In contrast, "body" in a biological context refers to the entire physical structure of an organism, including all its systems and organs, essential for various life functions.
When discussing vehicles, the trunk is specifically the main rear storage compartment in cars, designed for carrying luggage or other items. On the other hand, the body of a vehicle refers to the main structural component that includes the frame and panels enclosing the vehicle's mechanics and passenger area.
In terms of usage, a tree's trunk is critical for its structural integrity and growth, serving as the conduit for water and nutrients between the roots and leaves. Whereas, an organism's body encompasses various functional systems, each contributing to overall health and survival, like the circulatory, respiratory, and nervous systems.
The trunk of a tree provides the primary support, allowing it to stand tall and withstand environmental conditions. In comparison, the body of an organism or vehicle is designed to protect internal components and systems from external harm while supporting mobility and functionality.
The maintenance of a tree’s trunk involves protection from pests and diseases, which can compromise its strength and health. In contrast, maintaining the body of a vehicle focuses on protecting against rust and damage, ensuring structural integrity and safety.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Main stem of a tree; storage in vehicles
Physical structure of an organism; vehicle frame
Primary Function
Support and nutrient transport in trees; storage in cars
Support life functions; protect and enclose in vehicles
Material Composition
Woody in trees; metal or plastic in vehicles
Varied: includes flesh, bone in organisms; metal, plastic in vehicles
Maintenance Focus
Protecting from environmental damage; keeping clean and secure in cars
Health maintenance in organisms; damage prevention in vehicles
Structural Importance
Essential for tree stability; secondary in vehicle functionality
Central to organism survival; primary in vehicle functionality
Compare with Definitions
Trunk
The main woody stem of a tree, bearing branches and leaves.
The oak tree’s trunk was thick and sturdy, anchoring it firmly.
Body
The main structural component of a vehicle.
The car’s body was dented in several places after the accident.
Trunk
Part of the body from the neck to the abdomen in humans.
Swimming is a good exercise to strengthen the muscles in your trunk.
Body
A distinct mass of water or air.
A cold body of air swept over the plains.
Trunk
A long flexible snout as of an elephant
Body
The entire physical structure of an organism.
The human body is capable of amazing endurance and strength.
Trunk
A large box or chest for storing or transporting clothes.
Her grandmother’s trunk was filled with vintage clothing.
Body
A group of individuals regarded collectively.
The legislative body passed a new environmental law.
Trunk
The primary storage compartment at the rear of most cars.
He packed his luggage in the trunk before heading to the airport.
Body
The main part of a written work or speech.
The body of her essay contained compelling arguments and evidence.
Trunk
The main woody stem of a tree as distinct from its branches and roots.
Body
The physical structure, including the bones, flesh, and organs, of a person or an animal
It's important to keep your body in good condition
Trunk
A person's or animal's body apart from the limbs and head.
Body
The main section of a motor vehicle or aircraft
The body of the aircraft was filled with smoke
The factory had produced more car bodies than needed
Trunk
The elongated, prehensile nose of an elephant.
Body
The main or central part of something, especially a building or text
The main body of the house was built in 1625
Trunk
A large box with a hinged lid for storing or transporting clothes and other articles.
Body
A large amount or collection of something
Large bodies of seawater
A rich body of Canadian folklore
Trunk
The main woody axis of a tree.
Body
A material object
The path taken by the falling body
Trunk
(Architecture) The shaft of a column.
Body
A full or substantial quality of flavour in wine
Best of all, this wine has body and finish
Trunk
The body of a human or other vertebrate, excluding the head and limbs.
Body
A woman's close-fitting stretch garment for the upper body, fastening at the crotch.
Trunk
The thorax of an insect.
Body
(in pottery) a clay used for making the main part of ceramic ware, as distinct from a glaze.
Trunk
A proboscis, especially the long prehensile proboscis of an elephant.
Body
Give material form to something abstract
He bodied forth the traditional Prussian remedy for all ills
Trunk
A main body, apart from tributaries or appendages.
Body
Build the bodywork of (a motor vehicle)
An era when automobiles were bodied over wooden frames
Trunk
A trunk line.
Body
The entire material or physical structure of an organism, especially of a human or other animal.
Trunk
A chute or conduit.
Body
The physical aspect of a person as opposed to the spirit; the flesh.
Trunk
A watertight shaft connecting two or more decks.
Body
A corpse or carcass.
Trunk
The housing for the centerboard of a vessel.
Body
The trunk or torso of a human or animal.
Trunk
A covering over the hatches of a ship.
Body
The part of a garment covering the torso.
Trunk
An expansion chamber on a tanker.
Body
A human; a person
A kindly body.
Trunk
A cabin on a small boat.
Body
A group of individuals regarded as an entity; a corporation.
Trunk
A covered compartment for luggage and storage, generally at the rear of an automobile.
Body
A number of persons, concepts, or things regarded as a group
We walked out in a body.
Trunk
A large packing case or box that clasps shut, used as luggage or for storage.
Body
(Anatomy) The largest or principal part of an organ; corpus.
Trunk
Trunks Shorts worn for swimming or other athletics.
Body
The nave of a church.
Trunk
Part of a body.
Body
The content of a book or document exclusive of prefatory matter, codicils, indexes, or appendices.
Trunk
The usually single, more or less upright part of a tree, between the roots and the branches.
Body
The passenger- and cargo-carrying part of an aircraft, ship, or other vehicle.
Trunk
The torso.
Body
(Music) The sound box of an instrument.
Trunk
The conspicuously extended, mobile, nose-like organ of an animal such as a sengi, a tapir or especially an elephant. The trunks of various kinds of animals might be adapted to probing and sniffing, as in the sengis, or be partly prehensile, as in the tapir, or be a versatile prehensile organ for manipulation, feeding, drinking and fighting as in the elephant.
Body
A mass of matter that is distinct from other masses
A body of water.
A celestial body.
Trunk
(heading) A container.
Body
A collection or quantity, as of material or information
The body of evidence.
Trunk
A large suitcase, chest, or similar receptacle for carrying or storing personal possessions, usually with a hinged, often domed lid, and handles at each end, so that generally it takes two persons to carry a full trunk.
Body
Consistency of substance, as in paint, textiles, or wine
A sauce with body.
Trunk
A box or chest usually covered with leather, metal, or cloth, or sometimes made of leather, hide, or metal, for holding or transporting clothes or other goods.
Body
(Printing) The part of a block of type underlying the impression surface.
Trunk
The luggage storage compartment of a sedan/saloon-style car.
Body
To furnish with a body.
Trunk
(automotive) A storage compartment fitted behind the seat of a motorcycle.
Body
To give shape to. Usually used with forth
“Imagination bodies forth the forms of things unknown” (Shakespeare).
Trunk
(heading) A channel for flow of some kind.
Body
To play defense with one's body up against (that of another player) so as to restrict the player's mobility, as in basketball.
Trunk
A circuit between telephone switchboards or other switching equipment.
Body
To collide with and force (another player) in a certain direction
Bodied him off the puck.
Trunk
A chute or conduit, or a watertight shaft connecting two or more decks.
Body
Physical frame.
Trunk
A long, large box, pipe, or conductor, made of plank or metal plates, for various uses, as for conveying air to a mine or to a furnace, water to a mill, grain to an elevator, etc.
Body
The physical structure of a human or animal seen as one single organism.
I saw them walking from a distance, their bodies strangely angular in the dawn light.
Trunk
(archaic) A long tube through which pellets of clay, peas, etc., are driven by the force of the breath. A peashooter
Body
The fleshly or corporeal nature of a human, as opposed to the spirit or soul.
The body is driven by desires, but the soul is at peace.
Trunk
(mining) A flume or sluice in which ores are separated from the slimes in which they are contained.
Body
A corpse.
Her body was found at four o'clock, just two hours after the murder.
Trunk
(software engineering) In software projects under source control: the most current source tree, from which the latest unstable builds (so-called "trunk builds") are compiled.
Body
A person.
What's a body gotta do to get a drink around here?
Trunk
The main line or body of anything.
The trunk of a vein or of an artery, as distinct from the branches
Body
(sociology) A human being, regarded as marginalized or oppressed.
Trunk
(transport) A main line in a river, canal, railroad, or highway system.
Body
Main section.
Trunk
(architecture) The part of a pilaster between the base and capital, corresponding to the shaft of a column.
Body
The torso, the main structure of a human or animal frame excluding the extremities (limbs, head, tail).
The boxer took a blow to the body.
Trunk
A large pipe forming the piston rod of a steam engine, of sufficient diameter to allow one end of the connecting rod to be attached to the crank, and the other end to pass within the pipe directly to the piston, thus making the engine more compact.
Body
The largest or most important part of anything, as distinct from its appendages or accessories.
The bumpers and front tyres were ruined, but the body of the car was in remarkable shape.
Trunk
(in the plural) swimming trunks
Body
(archaic) The section of a dress extending from the neck to the waist, excluding the arms.
Penny was in the scullery, pressing the body of her new dress.
Trunk
To lop off; to curtail; to truncate.
Body
The content of a letter, message, or other printed or electronic document, as distinct from signatures, salutations, headers, and so on.
Trunk
To extract (ores) from the slimes in which they are contained, by means of a trunk.
Body
A bodysuit.
Trunk
(telecommunication) To provide simultaneous network access to multiple clients by sharing a set of circuits, carriers, channels, or frequencies.
Body
(programming) The code of a subroutine, contrasted to its signature and parameters.
In many programming languages, the method body is enclosed in braces.
Trunk
The stem, or body, of a tree, apart from its limbs and roots; the main stem, without the branches; stock; stalk.
About the mossy trunk I wound me soon,For, high from ground, the branches would requireThy utmost reach.
Body
Coherent group.
Trunk
The body of an animal, apart from the head and limbs.
Body
A group of people having a common purpose or opinion; a mass.
I was escorted from the building by a body of armed security guards.
Trunk
The main body of anything; as, the trunk of a vein or of an artery, as distinct from the branches.
Body
An organisation, company or other authoritative group.
The local train operating company is the managing body for this section of track.
Trunk
That part of a pilaster which is between the base and the capital, corresponding to the shaft of a column.
Body
A unified collection of details, knowledge or information.
We have now amassed a body of evidence which points to one conclusion.
Trunk
That segment of the body of an insect which is between the head and abdomen, and bears the wings and legs; the thorax; the truncus.
Body
Material entity.
Trunk
The proboscis of an elephant.
Body
Any physical object or material thing.
All bodies are held together by internal forces.
Trunk
A long tube through which pellets of clay, p as, etc., are driven by the force of the breath.
He shot sugarplums them out of a trunk.
Body
(uncountable) Substance; physical presence.
We have given body to what was just a vague idea.
Trunk
A box or chest usually covered with leather, metal, or cloth, or sometimes made of leather, hide, or metal, for containing clothes or other goods; especially, one used to convey the effects of a traveler.
Locked up in chests and trunks.
Body
(uncountable) Comparative viscosity, solidity or substance (in wine, colours etc.).
The red wine, sadly, lacked body.
Trunk
A flume or sluice in which ores are separated from the slimes in which they are contained.
Body
An agglomeration of some substance, especially one that would be otherwise uncountable.
The English Channel is a body of water lying between Great Britain and France.
Trunk
A large pipe forming the piston rod of a steam engine, of sufficient diameter to allow one end of the connecting rod to be attached to the crank, and the other end to pass within the pipe directly to the piston, thus making the engine more compact.
Body
(printing) The shank of a type, or the depth of the shank (by which the size is indicated).
A nonpareil face on an agate body
Trunk
A long, large box, pipe, or conductor, made of plank or metal plates, for various uses, as for conveying air to a mine or to a furnace, water to a mill, grain to an elevator, etc.
Body
(geometry) A three-dimensional object, such as a cube or cone.
Trunk
To lop off; to curtail; to truncate; to maim.
Body
To give body or shape to something.
Trunk
The main stem of a tree; usually covered with bark; the bole is usually the part that is commercially useful for lumber
Body
To construct the bodywork of a car.
Trunk
Luggage consisting of a large strong case used when traveling or for storage
Body
(transitive) To embody.
Trunk
The body excluding the head and neck and limbs;
They moved their arms and legs and bodies
Body
To murder someone.
Trunk
Compartment in an automobile that carries luggage or shopping or tools;
He put his golf bag in the trunk
Body
To utterly defeat someone.
Body
To hard counter a particular character build or play style. Frequently used in the passive voice form, get bodied by.
Body
The material organized substance of an animal, whether living or dead, as distinguished from the spirit, or vital principle; the physical person.
Absent in body, but present in spirit.
For of the soul the body form doth take.For soul is form, and doth the body make.
Body
The trunk, or main part, of a person or animal, as distinguished from the limbs and head; the main, central, or principal part, as of a tree, army, country, etc.
Who set the body and the limbsOf this great sport together?
The van of the king's army was led by the general; . . . in the body was the king and the prince.
Rivers that run up into the body of Italy.
Body
The real, as opposed to the symbolical; the substance, as opposed to the shadow.
Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
Body
A person; a human being; - frequently in composition; as, anybody, nobody.
A dry, shrewd kind of a body.
Body
A number of individuals spoken of collectively, usually as united by some common tie, or as organized for some purpose; a collective whole or totality; a corporation; as, a legislative body; a clerical body.
A numerous body led unresistingly to the slaughter.
Body
A number of things or particulars embodied in a system; a general collection; as, a great body of facts; a body of laws or of divinity.
Body
Any mass or portion of matter; any substance distinct from others; as, a metallic body; a moving body; an aëriform body.
By collision of two bodies, grindThe air attrite to fire.
Body
Amount; quantity; extent.
Body
That part of a garment covering the body, as distinguished from the parts covering the limbs.
Body
The bed or box of a vehicle, on or in which the load is placed; as, a wagon body; a cart body.
Body
The shank of a type, or the depth of the shank (by which the size is indicated); as, a nonpareil face on an agate body.
Body
A figure that has length, breadth, and thickness; any solid figure.
Body
Consistency; thickness; substance; strength; as, this color has body; wine of a good body.
Body
The central, longitudinal framework of a flying machine, to which are attached the planes or aërocurves, passenger accommodations, controlling and propelling apparatus, fuel tanks, etc. Also called fuselage.
As to the persons who compose the body politic or associate themselves, they take collectively the name of "people", or "nation".
Sol gold is, and Luna silver we threpe (=call), Mars yren (=iron), Mercurie quicksilver we clepe, Saturnus lead, and Jupiter is tin, and Venus coper.
Body
To furnish with, or as with, a body; to produce in definite shape; to embody.
Imagination bodies forthThe forms of things unknown.
Body
The entire physical structure of an organism (especially an animal or human being);
He felt as if his whole body were on fire
Body
Body of a dead animal or person;
They found the body in the lake
Body
A group of persons associated by some common tie or occupation and regarded as an entity;
The whole body filed out of the auditorium
Body
The body excluding the head and neck and limbs;
They moved their arms and legs and bodies
Body
An individual 3-dimensional object that has mass and that is distinguishable from other objects;
Heavenly body
Body
A collection of particulars considered as a system;
A body of law
A body of doctrine
A body of precedents
Body
The external structure of a vehicle;
The body of the car was badly rusted
Body
The property of holding together and retaining its shape;
When the dough has enough consistency it is ready to bake
Body
The central message of a communication;
The body of the message was short
Body
Invest with or as with a body; give body to
Common Curiosities
Can the term "trunk" refer to anything other than a tree or car compartment?
Yes, "trunk" can also refer to an elephant’s nose, or a large storage box.
How is the body of a vehicle maintained?
Maintenance includes rust prevention, repair of dents and scratches, and ensuring structural integrity.
What maintenance is required for a tree’s trunk?
It involves protecting against diseases, pests, and physical damage to maintain the tree’s health and stability.
What functions does a tree's trunk perform?
A tree’s trunk supports the structure, transports nutrients, and stores energy.
How does the body of a car differ from its trunk?
The body of a car encloses and supports all mechanical parts and passengers, while the trunk is specifically for storage.
What role does the trunk play in a vehicle's functionality?
In vehicles, the trunk primarily serves as a storage space, affecting convenience rather than functionality.
What is included in the body of an organism?
The body includes all organs and systems essential for survival, like the heart, lungs, and brain.
Why is the body of a vehicle important?
It protects passengers, enhances aerodynamics, and houses the vehicle’s components.
What are common issues faced with vehicle bodies?
Common issues include corrosion, scratches, and structural damage from accidents.
How does the structural role of a tree's trunk compare to an organism's body?
Both are crucial for support and survival but in different contexts: the trunk in a physical and structural sense for the tree, and the body as the container and protector of life functions in organisms.
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Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
