# packet

Pronunciation: US say "PAK-uht" /ˈpækət/; UK say "PAK-it" /ˈpækɪt/

## Noun

1. A small pack, bundle, or parcel.
   - Simple: A small bundle or parcel of things, often wrapped up.
   - _The courier delivered a packet wrapped in brown paper._
   - _Inside her bag were several packets of dried herbs._
2. A small fragment of data transmitted across a network, such as an Ethernet network.
   - Simple: A small piece of data sent across a computer network.
   - _The router inspects every packet before forwarding it onward._
   - _Dropped packets can cause stuttering during a video call._
3. The basic data unit defined by the Internet Protocol for routing information across networks.
   - Simple: A block of data that the internet uses to carry information to the right place.
   - _Each IP packet carries a header with the source and destination addresses._
   - _Routers read the destination field of every packet to choose a path._
4. A large sum of money. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: A large amount of money.
   - _Renovating the kitchen set them back a packet._
   - _She made quite a packet on the stock market last year._
5. A message transmitted across a network using a transport-layer protocol such as TCP or UDP.
   - Simple: A message sent between programs over a network connection.
   - _The transport layer numbers each packet so the receiver can reassemble them in order._
   - _A lost packet triggers a retransmission request from the receiving host._
6. A vessel for carrying dispatches, mail, passengers, and goods on fixed days of sailing; a mail boat.
   - Simple: A boat that carried mail, goods, and passengers on a regular, fixed schedule.
   - _The transatlantic packet sailed on schedule despite the rough weather._
   - _Letters from the colonies arrived aboard the weekly packet._
8. A man's genitals, especially as outlined by tight clothing. *(slang)*
   - Simple: A man's private parts, especially the bulge seen through tight clothes.
   - _The dancer's costume drew every eye to his packet._
   - _He tucked his packet into the snug briefs before the photo shoot._
9. A bag made of plastic. *(South Africa)*
   - Simple: A thin plastic bag for carrying or holding things.
   - _He carried the groceries home in a single packet._
   - _The wind blew an empty packet across the parking lot._
10. A specimen envelope holding small dried plants or plant parts, often attached to a larger sheet.
   - Simple: A small paper envelope holding dried plants or plant parts for study.
   - _Loose seeds were stored in a packet attached to the herbarium sheet._
   - _The curator opened each packet to examine the fragile specimens._

## Verb

7. To make something up into a packet or bundle.
   - Simple: To wrap or pack something into a small bundle.
   - _They packet the dried flowers carefully so the petals don't crumble._
   - _The cooperative packets its harvest into one-kilogram bundles._
11. To subject a system to a denial-of-service attack by sending it a very large number of data packets.
   - Simple: To flood a computer or network with huge amounts of data so it stops working.
   - _The group threatened to packet the company's website during the launch._
   - _Rival players would packet each other's connections to win matches._
12. To send something by a packet or dispatch vessel.
   - Simple: To send letters or goods by a mail boat.
   - _The governor packeted his dispatches to the home office without delay._
   - _They packet the season's accounts back to the company in England._
13. To run a regular route by packet or dispatch boat.
   - Simple: To travel a regular sea route using a mail boat.
   - _Several lines packet across the Channel before the railways arrive._
   - _The company's ships packeted regularly between Liverpool and Boston._

## Origin

From Middle English "pacquet," which came either from Middle French "pacquet" or was formed independently from "pak" and the suffix "-et."

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/packet (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).