*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of pack

Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *pakkô Proto-West Germanic *pakkō Old English *pæcca? ▲ Proto-West Germanic *pakkō Old Dutch *pakko Middle Dutch pakbor.? Middle English pak English pack From Middle English pak, pakke, from

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗
noun

A bundle made up and prepared to be carried; especially, a bundle to be carried on the back, but also a load for an animal, a bale. · A number or quantity equal to the contents of a pack · A multitude. · A number or quantity of connected or similar things; a collective.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *pakkô Proto-West Germanic *pakkō Old English *pæcca? ▲ Proto-West Germanic *pakkō Old Dutch *pakko Middle Dutch pakbor.? Middle English pak English pack From Middle English pak, pakke, from Old English *pæcca and/or Middle Dutch pak, packe; both ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *pakkō, from Proto-Germanic *pakkô (“bundle, pack”). Cognate with Dutch pak (“pack”), Low German Pack (“pack”), German Pack (“pack”), Swedish packe (“pack”), Icelandic pakka, pakki (“package”).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

  • Inherited-form mentionpakenm
  • Inherited-form mention*pæccaang
  • Derivation mentionpakdum
  • Inherited-form mention*pakkōgmw-pro
  • Inherited-form mention*pakkôgem-pro · bundle, pack
  • Cognate mentionpaknl
  • Cognate mentionPacknds
  • Cognate mentionPackde
  • Cognate mentionpackesv
  • Cognate mentionpakkais

This page abbreviates 16 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:pak",
        "id": "bundle",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Germanic *pakkô\nProto-West Germanic *pakkō\nOld English *pæcca?\n▲\nProto-West Germanic *pakkō\nOld Dutch *pakko\nMiddle Dutch pakbor.?\nMiddle English pak\nEnglish pack\n[Appendix:Glossary#inherited|Inherited]] from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*pakkō\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"*pæcca\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" }, { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"bor.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Borrowed from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"is_uncertain\" : true, \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"is_duplicate\" : true, \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*pakkō\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old Dutch\", \"term\" : \"*pakko\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"odt\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle Dutch\", \"term\" : \"pak\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"dum\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"pak\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"pack\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-id=\"bundle\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"pack\" id=\"English:_bundle\">"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "pak"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English pak"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "*pæcca"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English *pæcca"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "dum",
        "3": "pak"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle Dutch pak"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gmw-pro",
        "3": "*pakkō"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *pakkō"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*pakkô",
        "t": "bundle, pack"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *pakkô (“bundle, pack”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "nl",
        "2": "pak",
        "3": "",
        "4": "pack"
      },
      "expansion": "Dutch pak (“pack”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "nds",
        "2": "Pack",
        "3": "",
        "4": "pack"
      },
      "expansion": "Low German Pack (“pack”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "Pack",
        "3": "",
        "4": "pack"
      },
      "expansion": "German Pack (“pack”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "sv",
        "2": "packe",
        "3": "",
        "4": "pack"
      },
      "expansion": "Swedish packe (“pack”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "is",
        "2": "pakka"
      },
      "expansion": "Icelandic pakka"
    },
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:pak",
        "id": "bundle",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Germanic *pakkô\nProto-West Germanic *pakkō\nOld English *pæcca?\n▲\nProto-West Germanic *pakkō\nOld Dutch *pakko\nMiddle Dutch pakbor.?\nMiddle English pak\nEnglish pack"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "*pakkô",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/pakkô"
    ],
    [
      "*pakkō",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/pakkō"
    ],
    [
      "*pæcca",
      "Reconstruction:Old English/pæcca"
    ],
    [
      "*pakkō",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/pakkō"
    ],
    [
      "*pakko",
      "Reconstruction:Old Dutch/pakko"
    ],
    [
      "pak",
      "pak#Middle_Dutch"
    ],
    [
      "pak",
      "pak#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "pak",
      "pak#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "pakke",
      "pakke#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "*pæcca",
      "Reconstruction:Old English/pæcca"
    ],
    [
      "pak",
      "pak#Middle_Dutch"
    ],
    [
      "packe",
      "packe#Middle_Dutch"
    ],
    [
      "*pakkō",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/pakkō"
    ],
    [
      "*pakkô",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/pakkô"
    ],
    [
      "pak",
      "pak#Dutch"
    ],
    [
      "Pack",
      "Pack#Low_German"
    ],
    [
      "Pack",
      "Pack#German"
    ],
    [
      "packe",
      "packe#Swedish"
    ],
    [
      "pakka",
      "pakka#Icelandic"
    ],
    [
      "pakki",
      "pakki#Icelandic"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "lang": "Chinese",
      "lang_code": "zh",
      "word": "pack",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    },
    {
      "lang": "Malay",
      "lang_code": "ms",
      "word": "pek",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A bundle made up and prepared to be carried; especially, a bundle to be carried on the back, but also a load for an animal, a bale.",
        "A number or quantity equal to the contents of a pack",
        "A multitude.",
        "A number or quantity of connected or similar things; a collective."
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "recordId": "750bb6e0ef36f3485d7b9e069a0781d3d0d833db8a38f151e158da1a71adf848",
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      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 202350
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  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
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    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 16,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗
verb

To make a pack of; to arrange closely and securely in a pack; hence, to place and arrange compactly as in a pack · To fill in the manner of a pack, that is, compactly and securely, as for transportation; hence, to fill closely or to repletion; to stow away within; to cause to be full; to crowd into. · To wrap in a wet or dry sheet, within numerous coverings. · To make impervious, such as by filling or surrounding with suitable material, or to fit or adjust so as to move without allowing air, water, or steam inside.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Middle English pakken, from the noun (see above). Compare Middle Dutch packen (“to pack”), Middle Low German packen (“to pack”).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

  • Inherited-form mentionpakkenenm
  • Cognate mentionpackendum · to pack
  • Cognate mentionpackengml · to pack

This page abbreviates 19 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "pakken"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English pakken"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "dum",
        "2": "packen",
        "t": "to pack"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle Dutch packen (“to pack”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "gml",
        "2": "packen",
        "t": "to pack"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle Low German packen (“to pack”)"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "pakken",
      "pakken#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "packen",
      "packen#Middle_Dutch"
    ],
    [
      "packen",
      "packen#Middle_Low_German"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "verb",
      "glosses": [
        "To make a pack of; to arrange closely and securely in a pack; hence, to place and arrange compactly as in a pack",
        "To fill in the manner of a pack, that is, compactly and securely, as for transportation; hence, to fill closely or to repletion; to stow away within; to cause to be full; to crowd into.",
        "To wrap in a wet or dry sheet, within numerous coverings.",
        "To make impervious, such as by filling or surrounding with suitable material, or to fit or adjust so as to move without allowing air, water, or steam inside."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "physical",
        "transitive"
      ],
      "recordId": "9b421cd1db1ca5223387e9f697989200bb26ea46b8a495c17a5f55ca2b2231b5",
      "rawRecordSha256": "84c7384082c36ff6dcd36e9a9ab5406aca355226d23d0563efbdbc2f6f4d72a9",
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    }
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  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
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    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 19,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for pack →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger
Machine-source provenance
Source SHA-256
5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run
73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID
w-cGFjaw