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

Turns out, compostable packaging is a type of biodegradable packaging designed to break down alongside natural waste. —Francesca Krempa, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Apr. 2026

These findings led to a decline in prescriptions and a black box warning on hormone therapy packaging, courtesy of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). —Tabitha Britt, Flow Space, 22 Apr. 2026

The ban also forbids the sale of cigarettes that aren’t in their original packaging. —Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 22 Apr. 2026

The Kiehl’s cream and Youth to the People cleanser refills use a whopping 94% and 96% less packaging material, respectively. —Kara McGrath, Allure, 22 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

from gerund of package entry 2

First Known Use

circa 1875, in the meaning defined at sense 1