packaging

noun

1

: an act or instance of packaging something or someone: such as

a

: the enclosing of something in a container or covering

… damage caused by static charge during packaging, storing, and shipping.

—Chemical & Engineering News

b

: the presentation of something or someone to the public in a way that is designed to be attractive or appealing

This is public relations: the packaging of ideas, the execution of them, and the media coverage surrounding them.

—Robert Z. Chew

2

: material used to enclose or contain something

… the flashy packaging popularized by mass merchants.

—Jan Stafford

also : a covering wrapper or container : package entry 1 sense 3

the manufacture of food packagings

Examples of packaging in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The 25 kilos of drugs were wrapped in packaging featuring the iconic gun-brandishing cartoon character, the Walton County Sheriff's Office said in a social media post, which included images of the cocaine. —July 1, CBS News, 1 July 2025

The recall was initiated after a routine inspection discovered that the products were distributed in packaging that did not disclose the presence of the allergens. —Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025

Choose from three varieties of summery scents in clever packaging with little wax fish inside. —Emily Williams, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 June 2025

Grant explained this model eliminates the third party involved in beef packaging, leading to lower production costs. —Madeline King, Kansas City Star, 27 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

from gerund of package entry 2

First Known Use

circa 1875, in the meaning defined at sense 1