crate

UK: /ˈkreɪt/ US: /kreɪt/ ,(krāt)

Inflections of 'crate' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

crates

v 3rd person singular

crating

v pres p

crated

v past

crated

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

crate /kreɪt/   n., v., crat•ed, crat•ing. 
n. [countable]

1. a wooden box made of slats, for packing, shipping, or storing:
   A few crates of fruit fell from the truck.
2. Weights and Measures the quantity, esp. of fruit, that is packed in a crate.
3. Informal Terms Informal. something old or worn-out, esp. an automobile.

v. [~ + object]

4. to pack in a crate:
   They crated the bananas.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

crate  (krāt), n., v., crat•ed, crat•ing. 
n. 

1. a slatted wooden box or framework for packing, shopping, or storing fruit, furniture, glassware, crockery, etc.
2. any completely enclosed boxlike packing or shipping case.
3. Informal Terms something rickety and dilapidated, esp. an automobile:
   They're still driving around in the old crate they bought 20 years ago.
4. Weights and Measures a quantity, esp. of fruit, that is often packed in a crate approximately 2 × 1 × 1 ft. (0.6 × 0.3 × 0.3 m):
   a crate of oranges.

v.t. 

5. to pack in a crate.

• 1350–1400; 1915–20 for def. 3; Middle English, obscurely akin to Latin crātis wickerwork, hurdle

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

crate / kreɪt/ noun

1. a fairly large container, usually made of wooden slats or wickerwork, used for packing, storing, or transporting goods
2. an old car, aeroplane, etc

verb

1. (transitive) to pack or place in a crate

Etymology: 16th Century: from Latin crātis wickerwork, hurdle

ˈcrater noun

ˈcrateful noun