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.
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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:
The government said the funding package would not only provide immediate accommodation, but also support the creation of more than 1,000 permanent homes over the next three years.
From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026
Virgin Atlantic is being investigated to see whether mandatory resort fees and local taxes were included in the upfront prices shown to customers buying package holidays.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
One by one, they lifted a package of cheese sauce and poured out the liquid in a slow orange ribbon.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
“I generally do not charge a fee unless the package ends up consisting of lots of items that are not commissionable — which I try to avoid,” she said.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026
On Monday, I took Lorren’s package to the post office.
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
“We’ve already delivered hundreds of thousands of packages to customers by drone this year, and by the end of 2026 we plan to reach customers in nearly 500 cities and towns,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
Travel agents have access to cheaper bookings and perks: They can often provide discounts on hotels, cruises and tours, or access to perks like VIP packages and upgraded rooms that aren’t available to the public.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026
The government sent 50,000 aid packages weighing a total of 275 tonnes to the area, and European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen offered help from the bloc's Copernicus Earth observation satellites.
From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026
Buyers say the deals are attractive as travel costs have skyrocketed, and the mystery packages play on Americans’ growing penchant for gambling and taking a chance on the unknown.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
I do love the rectangular chocolate sandwich cookies, though, and pile a few on my plate, making a mental note to take a few packages with us when we go home.
From "Amina's Song" by Hena Khan
The company also supplies private-label and store-brand packaged salad greens and kits for numerous major retailers from Whole Foods to Kroger to Aldi.
From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026
Kari Briski, Nvidia’s vice president of generative AI software for enterprise, told the Wall Street Journal Leadership Institute that Lightning contains the knowledge of more powerful models, but is packaged into a much smaller size.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
Consumer packaged goods and auto companies are “overrepresented” on the platform, making up 25% of the business, and those companies have been hit hard by tariffs and oil prices, Green added.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026
Its 2,600 Los Angeles employees have access to a free commissary and an endless supply of cereal, packaged snacks and other prepared fare at small food stations scattered throughout the sprawling campus on Olympic Boulevard.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026
Sometimes the only meat we had was a packaged meat you could buy at the butcher called “sawdust.”
From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah
If one comes towards you, put all food and packaging out of sight and move away slowly and calmly, The Royal Parks says.
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026
"Food packaging may eventually list Prif right below fiber," said Rabinowitz.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 15, 2026
In his FAQ, Goldner puts the problem plainly: consumers shouldn’t have to be “decoding packaging on the fly.”
From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026
The Japanese packaging and printing company also supplies high-tech components used in advanced AI chips.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
Because he works all day packaging candy, he always has problems with his body—cuts, back pains, glue burns, and swollen legs, just to name a few.
From "I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter" by Erika L. Sánchez
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.
