packet

American  

[pak-it] / ˈpæk ɪt /

noun

1. a small group or package of anything.

   a packet of letters.

2. 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.

3. Cards. a part of a pack of cards after being cut.

4. Informal. a large amount of money.

5. 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.

6. British Slang.

   1. a painful blow or beating.

   2. misfortune or failure.

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verb (used with object)

1. to bind up in a package or parcel.

packet British  

/ ˈpækɪt /

noun

1. 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

2. a small package; parcel

3. Also called: packet boat.  a boat that transports mail, passengers, goods, etc, on a fixed short route

4. slang a large sum of money

   to cost a packet

5. computing a unit into which a larger piece of data is broken down for more efficient transmission See also packet switching

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verb

1. (tr) to wrap up in a packet or as a packet

Related Words

See package .

Etymology

Origin of packet

First recorded in 1520–30; from Middle French pacquet, equivalent to pacqu(er) pack ¹ + -et -et

Example Sentences

Texas-based company Hiro Technologies has created unbleached disposable diapers that comes with a packet of fungi which is added to the used diaper when it's ready to be thrown away.

From BBC

His work built on an earlier proposal by Max Planck in 1900 that atoms emit and absorb energy in discrete packets rather than continuous amounts.

From Science Daily

We had to get up super early to hand out race day packets and cups of water along the trail, but it was awesome.

From Literature

When light strikes many carbon based materials, it creates a tightly bound packet of energy called an exciton -- a paired electron and hole.

From Science Daily

Komolafe told the BBC she had just returned from a trip to South Sudan, where she said a packet of period pads cost about £20.

From BBC

Related Words

• bag
• carton
• container
• envelope
• folder
• package
• parcel
• wrapper