A packet is a small container in which a quantity of something is sold. Packets are either small boxes made of thin cardboard, or bags or envelopes made of paper or plastic.
[mainly British]
Cook the rice according to instructions on the packet.
...a crisp packet.
A packetof something is an amount of it contained in a packet.
Use half a packet of noodles per person. [+ of]
Elinor bought her a packet of biscuits.
regional note: in AM, usually use pack, package
2. countable noun
A packet is a small flat parcel.
[mainly British]
...to send letters and packets abroad.
...a packet of photographs. [+ of]
3. singular noun
You can refer to a lot of money as a packet.
[British, informal]
It'll cost you a packet.
You could save yourself a packet.
Someone's making a packet out of it.
regional note: in AM, use bundle
Synonyms: a fortune, lot(s), pot(s) [informal], a bomb [British, slang] More Synonyms of packet
4. See also pay packet, wage packet
More Synonyms of packet
packet in British English
(ˈpækɪt)
noun
1.
a small or medium-sized container of cardboard, paper, etc, often together with its contents
a packet of biscuits
Usual US and Canadian word: package, pack
2.
a small package; parcel
3. Also called: packet boat
a boat that transports mail, passengers, goods, etc, on a fixed short route
4. slang
a large sum of money
to cost a packet
5. computing
a unit into which a larger piece of data is broken down for more efficient transmission
See also packet switching
verb
6. (transitive)
to wrap up in a packet or as a packet
Word origin
C16: from Old French pacquet, from pacquer to pack, from Old Dutch pak a pack
packet in American English
(ˈpækɪt)
noun
1. Obsolete
a parcel of letters
2.
a small package or parcel
3.
packet boat
4. British, Informal
a large amount of money
verb transitive
5.
to make up into a packet
Word origin
MFr paquet, dim. of pacque, UNRESOLVED CROSS REF
Examples of 'packet' in a sentence
packet
Pay packets are therefore largely determined by the skills and acumen of other financiers.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
These should be just as discouraged as the cigarette packets.
The Sun (2016)
Meanwhile, cook the rice according to packet instructions.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Switching suppliers online can save a packet - but it is still too complex.
The Sun (2016)
When I got my first proper wage packet.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
SOME crumpets contain as much salt as three packets of crisps, a study found.
The Sun (2016)
How can I consider not eating this entire packet of biscuits?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
HERE'S a crisp that really costs a packet - around 9 each.
The Sun (2016)
Special promotional packets can be found next to copies of The Sun or at the tills.
The Sun (2016)
No tweets over price of a packet of crisps then, Gary?
The Sun (2016)
That is a wage packet that can cover any number of drawbacks.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
See cooking instructions on the rice packet.
Kowalski, Robert E The 8-Week Cholesterol Cure (1990)
He threw away his cigarette and it set light to a pile of empty crisp packets.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Workers can also boost donations by giving money through their pay packets.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
As well as a packet of biscuits.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Keep opened packets in airtight plastic containers or store in the freezer or fridge.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Large pay packets are not intrinsically evil.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
We heard the snipers were winning packets of cigarettes for hitting the correct number of targets.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
But companies can lose a packet in all sorts of ways.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Then the brunette walked over to me and got out a small packet.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Buy a big packet of raisins and just fill up an already emptied box.
The Sun (2014)
You still have a few hours left to sign up and save a packet.
The Sun (2015)
Companies would make up the remainder of the wage packets and retrain the idle staff.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Counting the grains of rice in a packet?
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
He also grabbed a packet of crisps from the bar area.
Jan Fennell FRIENDS FOR LIFE (2003)
They marched for the dignity of bringing home a pay packet.
The Sun (2015)
In the corner is a large packet of ham.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Sometimes finding half a forgotten packet in a coat pocket can be enough to change my whole mood.
The Sun (2012)
Or does it give you the opportunity to stock up on those little bars of soap and packets of biscuits?
The Sun (2012)
Except it costs us a packet.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The firm was handling almost four billion letters, packets and parcels a year.
The Sun (2015)
Proposals include removing price controls from all packets and parcels weighing more than 750g.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
To claim your free packet, download your voucher online.
The Sun (2015)
In other languages
packet
British English: packet /ˈpækɪt/ NOUN
A packet is a small box, bag, or envelope in which a quantity of something is sold.
The packet says the product contains cream.
American English: packet
Arabic: رُزْمَةٌ
Brazilian Portuguese: pacote
Chinese: 小包
Croatian: omot
Czech: balíček
Danish: pakke
Dutch: pakje
European Spanish: paquete pequeño
Finnish: paketti
French: paquet
German: Päckchen
Greek: πακέτο
Italian: pacchetto
Japanese: 小さな包み
Korean: 작은 꾸러미
Norwegian: pakke
Polish: pakiet
European Portuguese: pacote
Romanian: ambalaj
Russian: упаковка продаваемого товара
Latin American Spanish: paquete
Swedish: paket
Thai: ห่อของเล็กๆ
Turkish: paket
Ukrainian: пакет
Vietnamese: gói nhỏ
Chinese translation of 'packet'
packet
(ˈpækɪt)
n(c)
[of cigarettes, biscuits]盒 (hé) (个(個), gè)
[of crisps, sweets, seeds]袋 (dài) (个(個), gè)
[of cereals]包 (bāo)
to make a packet (Brit, inf) 赚(賺)大钱(錢) (zhuàn dàqián)
1 (noun)
Definition
a container, together with its contents
He wrote the number on the back of a biscuit packet.
Synonyms
container
box
They sat on wooden boxes.
package
wrapping
poke (dialect)
carton
A large and heavy cardboard carton had been delivered to the house.
wrapper
an unsmoked cigar in its cellophane wrapper
2 (noun)
Definition
a small parcel
the cost of sending letters and packets abroad
Synonyms
package
I tore open the package.
parcel
They sent parcels of food and clothing.
3 (noun)
Definition
a large sum of money
(slang)
You could save yourself a packet.
Synonyms
a fortune
lot(s)
pot(s) (informal)
a bomb (British, slang)
a pile (informal)
big money
a bundle (slang)
big bucks (informal, mainly US)
a small fortune
top dollar (informal)
a mint
a wad (US, Canadian, slang)
megabucks (US, Canadian, slang)
an arm and a leg (informal)
A week at a health farm can cost an arm and a leg.
a bob or two (British, informal)
a tidy sum (informal)
a king's ransom (informal)
clients happy to pay a king's ransom for a haircut
a pretty penny (informal)
top whack (informal)
Additional synonyms
in the sense of a king's ransom
clients happy to pay a king's ransom for a haircut
Synonyms
fortune,
packet (slang),
large sum of money,
top dollar (informal),
top whack (informal)
in the sense of an arm and a leg
A week at a health farm can cost an arm and a leg.
Synonyms
a lot of money,
a bomb (British, slang),
a fortune,
a pile (informal),
big money,
a packet (slang),
a bundle (slang),
big bucks (informal, US),
a tidy sum (informal),
a king's ransom,
a pretty penny (informal)
in the sense of box
Definition
a container with a firm base and sides and sometimes a removable or hinged lid
They sat on wooden boxes.
Synonyms
container,
case,
chest,
trunk,
pack,
package,
carton,
casket,
receptacle,
ark (dialect),
portmanteau,
coffret,
kist (Scottish, NorthernEngland, dialect)
Synonyms of 'packet'
packet
Explore 'packet' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of carton
Definition
a cardboard box or container
A large and heavy cardboard carton had been delivered to the house.
Synonyms
box,
case,
pack,
package,
container
in the sense of parcel
Definition
something wrapped up
They sent parcels of food and clothing.
Synonyms
package,
case,
box,
pack,
packet,
bundle,
carton
in the sense of wrapper
Definition
a paper, foil, or plastic cover in which a product is wrapped