crate

1 of 2

noun

ˈkrāt 

plural crates

1

a

: an open box typically of wooden slats or latticed plastic and used for transporting and storing goods

a crate of oranges

see also milk crate

b

: a usually wooden protective case or framework used for shipping

a packing crate

She purchased ten shipping crates made with wood edges and plastic-covered cardboard sides, all neatly broken down for easy assembly.

—Tom Clancy

2

: a usually box-shaped container or cage that has openings for airflow and that is used for confining or carrying animals (such as dogs or cats)

The store carries a variety of pet crates.

Teach children to let resting dogs lie and to stay out of dog crates, beds and other resting places that are designated for the dog.

—John Elder

3

informal + somewhat old-fashioned : a dilapidated old car or airplane

George Bernard's most immediate concern is not the war, but his failing car battery. He can hardly get his old crate cranked up, and a new battery costs $300 …

—Phil McCombs

From Blake: "I am not sure this crate will fly. Dump everything out." … In our compartment Doug yanks up his bombing sight, opens the floor hatch and tosses it.

—Williamson Murray

crate

2 of 2

verb

crated; crating; crates

transitive verb

: to pack or place in a crate

crating items for shipping

Of course the ideal answer would seem to be to crate the dog. But with so many cars now being overly small, there may be no way to get a crate into a vehicle.

—Eleanor Price

Synonyms

Noun

• wreck
• hulk
• beater
• lemon
• jalopy

Examples of crate in a Sentence

Noun

The bear arrived at the zoo in a crate.

Each milk crate holds nine bottles.

They used a crate of oranges to make enough juice for everyone.

One day the old crate just wouldn't start.

Verb

The equipment was crated today and will be shipped tomorrow.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Some mornings Bob would find a young Sarah sleeping with the family pet in its crate. —Wolf Blitzer, CNN Money, 29 June 2025

Pictures of the stand filed in court by the city show a hodgepodge of food ingredients, spices, cooking oils, pots, crates, and propane tanks powering a campfire stove. —Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 27 June 2025

Verb

Some viewers were critical, questioning why pets were being crated at all. —Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 May 2025

The couple’s dog was crated in a closet just a few feet away from Betsy. —Angel Saunders, People.com, 15 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Latin cratis

First Known Use

Noun

1790, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1871, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing crate

• crate dig
• crate digger
• crate train
• crate trained
• crate-training
• milk crate
• packing crate

Rhymes for crate

• ate
• bait
• bate
• cate
• date
• eight
• fait
• fate
• fete
• frate
• freight
• gait

Kids Definition

crate

1 of 2 noun

ˈkrāt 

: a box or frame of wooden slats or boards for packing or protecting something in shipment

crate

2 of 2 verb

crated; crating

: to pack in a crate