mallette

briefcase

noun mah-LET Rare

Also means

small suitcase

Usage Note

Mallette is a diminutive of malle (trunk), and it denotes a small rigid-sided case used for documents, tools, or medical equipment. A mallette de médecin is a doctor's bag. It differs from a valise (soft suitcase) and a serviette (flap-over briefcase) in that it has a hard shell.

Examples

"Il pose sa mallette sur la table."

Natural Translation

He puts his briefcase on the table.

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