packet
Americannoun
-
a small group or package of anything.
a packet of letters.
-
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.
-
Cards. a part of a pack of cards after being cut.
-
Informal. a large amount of money.
-
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.
-
British Slang.
-
a painful blow or beating.
-
misfortune or failure.
-
verb (used with object)
noun
-
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
-
a small package; parcel
-
Also called: packet boat. a boat that transports mail, passengers, goods, etc, on a fixed short route
-
slang a large sum of money
to cost a packet
-
computing a unit into which a larger piece of data is broken down for more efficient transmission See also packet switching
verb
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
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"In Response to Executive Order 9066"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
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.
Weeks later, Drexel was told her father’s case was included in a briefing packet for Trump ahead of his meeting with Xi in South Korea.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
You’ll need to pay up ahead of time if you’d like to indulge in a measly packet of Biscoff cookies or extra salty pretzels.
From Salon • May 7, 2026
But I did overshare here recently about my Atomic Fireball habit, and while they’re usually individually wrapped, I found a packet with two the other day, so I doubled up.
From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026
All the kids would play out in the street every day, you could walk into any neighbor’s house and they would feed you or you could get a packet of crisps.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026
Furiously he strode from the room and minutes later the entire squad trooped out—not, unfortunately, before the silent soldier had spied and pocketed our precious packet of tea.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
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.
