Packings

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A collection of items bundled together for transport or storage
2. materials used to fill spaces in order to prevent movement or provide insulation
3. a group of individuals or items organized with a common purpose or in a specific arrangement

Etymology: "Packings" is the plural of "packing," a noun formed in Middle English as "pakkynge" from the verb "pack" with the suffix "-ing." The plural form is used for separate items or materials that serve as packing, such as the gaskets and seals fitted around pipes and valves to stop leaks. The sense given here, a group of individuals or items organized for a common purpose, is a figurative extension of the basic idea of things being gathered and bundled together, much as a "pack" of wolves or cards is a set of things held as one unit.

Synonyms: wrappings, packaging