packaging

American  

[pak-uh-jing] / ˈpæk ə dʒɪŋ /

noun

1. an act or instance of packing or forming packages.

   At the end of the production line is a machine for packaging.

2. the package in which merchandise is sold or displayed.

   Attractive packaging can help sell a product.

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packaging British  

/ ˈpækɪdʒɪŋ /

noun

1. 1. the box or wrapping in which a product is offered for sale

   2. the design of such a box or wrapping, esp with reference to its ability to attract customers

2. the presentation of a person, product, television programme, etc, to the public in a way designed to build up a favourable image

3. the work of a packager

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Etymology

Origin of packaging

First recorded in 1870–75; package + -ing ¹

Explanation

Packaging is the material used to enclose, protect, and even promote things that are for sale. It’s all about presentation. If you’re having trouble selling lemonade out of an old pickle jar, perhaps you should change the packaging. Walk through a supermarket or a drug store and you'll see many different kinds of packaging, from hard plastic medicine bottles to cardboard cereal boxes and glass jars of spaghetti sauce. You can call the act or business of putting all these items into containers packaging too. There's also a figurative meaning of this noun, "presenting something in a flattering or beneficial way," as in: "The advisors' packaging of the candidate makes him seem much smarter."

Example Sentences

Cerebras’ unusually large artificial-intelligence chips excel at running models at speed, while also sidestepping some of the networking and packaging required for connecting thousands of high-end processors from Nvidia or other chip makers.

From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026

Higher energy prices spilled over to shipping, packaging, groceries and fertilizer.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 3, 2026

The French company signed a long-term contract with the semiconductor manufacturer to supply gases for its new packaging and testing facility in Cheongju.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2026

It said the waste included food packaging, bottles and dog waste bags.

From BBC • May 28, 2026

There was a new annex on the south side of the house, where younger women were filling bottles and packaging orders for shipment.

From "Educated" by Tara Westover