packet
Americannoun
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a small group or package of anything.
a packet of letters.
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Also called packet ship. Also called packet boat,. a small vessel that carries mail, passengers, and goods regularly on a fixed route, especially on rivers or along coasts.
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Cards. a part of a pack of cards after being cut.
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Informal. a large amount of money.
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Computers. a relatively small unit of data sent over a network.
Every email you send and web page you browse is transferred to and from your device in a series of packets.
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British Slang.
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a painful blow or beating.
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misfortune or failure.
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verb (used with object)
noun
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Usual US and Canadian word: package. pack. a small or medium-sized container of cardboard, paper, etc, often together with its contents
a packet of biscuits
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a small package; parcel
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Also called: packet boat. a boat that transports mail, passengers, goods, etc, on a fixed short route
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slang a large sum of money
to cost a packet
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computing a unit into which a larger piece of data is broken down for more efficient transmission See also packet switching
verb
Synonym Usage
See package .
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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packetsimple
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packetssimple
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have packetedperfect
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have packettedperfect
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has packetedperfect
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has packettedperfect
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am packetingprogressive
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am packettingprogressive
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are packetingprogressive
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are packettingprogressive
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is packetingprogressive
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is packettingprogressive
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have been packetingperfect progressive
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have been packettingperfect progressive
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has been packetingperfect progressive
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has been packettingperfect progressive
Past
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packetedsimple
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packettedsimple
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had packetedperfect
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had packettedperfect
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was packetingprogressive
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was packettingprogressive
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were packetingprogressive
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were packettingprogressive
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had been packetingperfect progressive
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had been packettingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of packet
First recorded in 1520–30; from Middle French pacquet, equivalent to pacqu(er) pack 1 + -et -et
Explanation
A packet is a container or bundle, like the tiny packet of pretzels they give you on an airplane or the packet of papers a teacher takes home to grade over the weekend. The word packet was first used in the 15th century, from the Middle English pak, or "bundle. Dating back to Britain's Tudor era, packet ships were mail boats that carried bundles of letters overseas. This entire industry of mail service was known as the "packet trade." Today the word packet is more likely to conjure images of things in small paper containers that can be torn open, like the packets of soy sauce you get with your take-out dinner.
Vocabulary lists containing packet
Computer Science and Technology - High School
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"In Response to Executive Order 9066"
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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.
One woman on Hilton Head told the Island Packet newspaper that she looked out her window to find she had a pool crasher - a small gator enjoying the shallow end.
From BBC • Aug. 8, 2024
As Smiley’s verdict was read Friday, his wife wept from her seat behind him in the front row of the courtroom, the Island Packet reported.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 29, 2023
Packet captures, or “pcaps,” are a specific file format that is an industry standard for archiving internet traffic.
From Washington Post • Apr. 20, 2023
The Wall Street Journal reported a link between this company and the US government through yet another firm called Packet Forensics.
From BBC • Apr. 8, 2022
"Johanssen," Beck said, looking at his arm computer, "Watney's bio-monitor sent something before going offline. My computer just says 'Bad Packet.'"
From "The Martian" by Andy Weir
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
