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.

---

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

---

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

And then, they raised prices and shrunk the packaging.

From Slate • Apr. 20, 2026

The deal includes chip design, packaging, and networking to build out the massive computing foundation to deliver what Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg calls “personal superintelligence” to billions of people.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

They have been used in a range of consumer products since the 1940s, from clothing and cosmetics to food packaging and nonstick cookware, often as a slippery coating to repel water or stains.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

The Harlands, who built the structure using polystyrene packaging acquired from a friend, said that they were inspired by a similar display they saw on a holiday in Ghent, Belgium.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

Pens and pencils packed a dozen each in flimsy cardboard packaging with retro fonts and design.

From "Paper Towns" by John Green