travel-sized
|trav-el-sized|
/ˌtrævəlˈsaɪzd/
small for travel
Etymology
'travel-sized' is a modern English compound formed from 'travel' + 'size' with the adjectival/past-participial suffix '-ed' to mean 'having the size of or suited to travel.'
'travel' comes into English via Old French (travailler / travail) meaning 'to toil, journey' and later 'to travel'; 'size' comes from Old French 'sise' (from Latin 'situs' meaning 'position'). The compound 'travel size' (noun) and the adjectival form 'travel-sized' arose in 20th-century commercial/marketing English to describe small packaged goods for travel.
Originally the components referred separately to 'travel' and 'size'; combined in modern usage they specifically mean 'sized for travel' or 'packaged for travel', a sense that developed with modern travel and consumer packaging.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
small in size or packaged in an amount suitable for travel (easy to carry, fits carry-on limits).
I bought a travel-sized toothpaste for the trip.
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Adjective 2
formulated or packaged specifically for short trips or trial use (often single-use or small containers marketed for travel).
Travel-sized toiletries are convenient when you only carry a carry-on bag.
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Last updated: 2025/10/04 07:23