package
Americannoun
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packages
plural
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a bundle of something, usually of small or medium size, that is packed and wrapped or boxed; parcel.
-
a container, as a box or case, in which something is or may be packed.
- Synonyms:
- carton
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something conceived of as a compact unit having particular characteristics.
That child is a package of mischief.
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the packing of goods, freight, etc.
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a finished product contained in a unit that is suitable for immediate installation and operation, as a power or heating unit.
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a group, combination, or series of related parts or elements to be accepted or rejected as a single unit.
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a complete program produced for the theater, television, etc., or a series of these, sold as a unit.
verb (used with object)
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packages,
present (3rd person singular)
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packaged,
past participle, past
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packaging
present participle
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to make or put into a package.
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to design and manufacture a package for (a product or series of related products).
They package their soaps in eye-catching wrappers.
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to group or combine (a series of related parts) into a single unit.
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to combine the various elements of (a tour, entertainment, etc.) for sale as a unit.
noun
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any wrapped or boxed object or group of objects
-
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a proposition, offer, or thing for sale in which separate items are offered together as a single or inclusive unit
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( as modifier )
a package holiday
a package deal
-
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a complete unit consisting of a number of component parts sold separately
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the act or process of packing or packaging
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computing a set of programs designed for a specific type of problem in statistics, production control, etc, making it unnecessary for a separate program to be written for each problem
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another word for pack 1
verb
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to wrap in or put into a package
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to design and produce a package for (retail goods)
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to group (separate items) together as a single unit
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to compile (complete books) for a publisher to market
Synonym Usage
Package, pack, packet, parcel refer to a bundle or to something fastened together. A package is a bundle of things packed and wrapped: a package from the drugstore. A pack is a large bundle or bale of things put or fastened together, usually wrapped up or in a bag, case, etc., to be carried by a person or a beast of burden: a peddler's pack. A packet, originally a package of letters or dispatches, is a small package or bundle: a packet of gems. A parcel is an object or objects wrapped up to form a single, small bundle: a parcel containing two dresses.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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subpackagenoun
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mispackageverb (used with object)
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mispackagedadjective
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packageableadjective
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unpackagedadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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packagesimple
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packagessimple
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have packagedperfect
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has packagedperfect
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am packagingprogressive
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are packagingprogressive
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is packagingprogressive
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have been packagingperfect progressive
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has been packagingperfect progressive
Past
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packagedsimple
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had packagedperfect
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was packagingprogressive
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were packagingprogressive
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had been packagingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of package
First recorded in 1605–15, package is from the Dutch word pakkage “baggage.” See pack 1, -age
Explanation
A package is a wrapped bundle or a container of something. If you order new socks online, they'll be delivered to your door in a package a few days later. A package might be wrapped in colorful wrapping paper, or it may simply be a container that holds an item or a collection of them, like a package of peppermints. To package is to enclose something in a box or other container: "You should package your brownies and sell them at the farmer's market!" Package stems either from the noun pack, or possibly from the Dutch pakkage, or "baggage."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
And when I emailed a wedding photographer whose Instagram feed seemed perfectly curated to how I envision our special day, he quoted me $30,000 for a starter package.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026
Before Adelkoff left California, Wright said, the nonprofit paid for a vehicle and related expenses as part of her compensation package.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026
The Criterion Collection package also includes Kubrick’s three short films, archival interviews, and several documentaries about the director—including the revealing one made by Vivian Kubrick, who followed her dad around as he filmed “The Shining.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026
In March, the government announced a support package worth £53m for low-income families who use heating oil.
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026
She reaches into the folds of her dress, produces an envelope, and hands the small package to him.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
Instead, monthly “premiums” act as prepaid installments toward resort inventory and travel packages whose prices are locked in at wholesale rates.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026
Known as autophagy, this process collects defective proteins and other cellular waste, packages them into specialized compartments, and breaks them down into basic molecular components that can be reused.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026
Ticket rises and more TV packages - why is price of sport increasing?
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026
But complaints about missed packages and mail-order medications, as well as trouble setting up banking accounts and utilities, persisted.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
When the kids opened their packages, they each found a key chain with a small furry toy hamster attached.
From "The World According to Humphrey" by Betty G. Birney
But because the leverage is long term and the product is packaged in an ETF, it might seem less risky to potential buyers.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 10, 2026
Even resistance to consumerism could be packaged as a new consumer ideal.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
When police were called to investigate, they found more than 800 devices, packaged in batches of five, stacked into nine boxes, some wrapped in foil, others in bubble wrap.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
The main consumers buying Kevin’s meals are millennial men, making the brand an anomaly among packaged foods.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
How was the material packaged and transported from one body to the next?
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
The new law, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last month, requires diaper manufacturers to disclose ingredients both on packaging and online.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026
Well before the AI boom, that helped push the main makers of large central processing units—Advanced Micro Devices and Intel—toward changes in packaging.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026
Future packaging approaches increasingly involve stacking pieces of silicon on top of each other, not just side by side.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026
But some of that clothing never makes it out of the packaging.
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026
I wrap the rest of the bar in the foil packaging and put it back in the box.
From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz
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