Not sure about everyone out there but sometimes you must wonder where certain words originate. The word “truck” apparently has many meanings. For the most part the picture that forms is a large vehicle that can haul/transport various items from oranges to steel.

The definition from Wikipedia:

A truck is a vehicle for carrying goods and materials. The word “truck” possibly derives ultimately from the Greek “trochos”, meaning “wheel.” In North America, the big wheels of wagons were called trucks. When the gasoline-engine driven trucks came into fashion, these were called “motor trucks.” Lorry is a term from the United Kingdom and Ireland, but is only used for the medium and heavy types, i.e. a van, a pickup or a Jeep would never be regarded as a “lorry.”

Here’s some interesting definitions from The Free Dictionary:

Noun:

1. Any of various heavy motor vehicles designed for carrying or pulling loads.

2. A hand truck.

3. A wheeled platform, sometimes equipped with a motor, for conveying loads in a warehouse or freight yard.

4. One of the swiveling frames of wheels under each end of a railroad car or trolley car.

5. A set of bookshelves mounted on four wheels or casters, used in libraries.

6. Nautical A small piece of wood placed at the top of a mast or flagpole, usually having holes through which halyards can be passed.

7. Chiefly British A railroad freight car without a top.

OR:

1. History the payment of wages in goods rather than in money

2. have no truck with to refuse to be involved with: the opposition will have no truck with

the planned cut in pensions [Old French troquer (unattested) to barter].

Now here is where it gets strange! Also from Wikipedia

Troco (also called trucks and lawn billiards) is an English lawn game played with balls, cues and rings that remained popular through the Early modern period to the early 20th century. It is a forerunner of croquet and perhaps of cue sports such as billiards.

The oldest name in English seems to be “trucks” or “truck” from the Italian trucco and Spanish troco meaning billiards. Troco was popular as a country house pastime in the 19th century. Under the name “lawn billiards”, it appears as an alternative to croquet in a number of books of games and pastimes of the period. Troco was also played at pubs with large lawns, but apparently died out by the time of World War II.

We could continue to expand but I am sure you get the point. The English language is one of the most evolved and difficult languages in the world – and we have only just described one simple word that we in the transportation industry use multiple times during any given day.