crate

1 of 2

noun

ˈkrāt 

plural crates

1

a

: an open box typically of wooden slats or latticed plastic and used for transporting and storing goods

a crate of oranges

see also milk crate

b

: a usually wooden protective case or framework used for shipping

a packing crate

She purchased ten shipping crates made with wood edges and plastic-covered cardboard sides, all neatly broken down for easy assembly.

—Tom Clancy

2

: a usually box-shaped container or cage that has openings for airflow and that is used for confining or carrying animals (such as dogs or cats)

The store carries a variety of pet crates.

Teach children to let resting dogs lie and to stay out of dog crates, beds and other resting places that are designated for the dog.

—John Elder

3

informal + somewhat old-fashioned : a dilapidated old car or airplane

George Bernard's most immediate concern is not the war, but his failing car battery. He can hardly get his old crate cranked up, and a new battery costs $300 …

—Phil McCombs

From Blake: "I am not sure this crate will fly. Dump everything out." … In our compartment Doug yanks up his bombing sight, opens the floor hatch and tosses it.

—Williamson Murray

crate

2 of 2

verb

crated; crating; crates

transitive verb

: to pack or place in a crate

crating items for shipping

Of course the ideal answer would seem to be to crate the dog. But with so many cars now being overly small, there may be no way to get a crate into a vehicle.

—Eleanor Price

Synonyms

Noun

• beater
• clunker
• jalopy
• junker

Examples of crate in a Sentence

Noun

The bear arrived at the zoo in a crate.

Each milk crate holds nine bottles.

They used a crate of oranges to make enough juice for everyone.

One day the old crate just wouldn't start.

Verb

The equipment was crated today and will be shipped tomorrow.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The largest room serves as a storage room and, when boxes and crates are shifted to the walls, a dining hall for feast days. —Debra Utacia Krol, The Arizona Republic, 20 Nov. 2024

Laura Kruger, a curator at the Hebrew Union College Museum, holds crates and boxes of Hilu’s sketches and gave him several museum shows. —Alissa Simon, Variety, 19 Nov. 2024

Verb

Rajoy also entered into a pact with PSOE head Pedro Sánchez to organize a commission to study amending the Constitution with an eye toward revamping the system of regional autonomies crated after 1978. —Omar G. Encarnación, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2017

The two bears — Yun Chuan, a 4-year-old male, and Xin Bao, a 3-year-old female — were crated and sent on their way to sunny California in a secretive farewell ceremony attended by San Diego Zoo officials and the city’s mayor, Todd Gloria. —Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 27 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Latin cratis

First Known Use

Noun

1790, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1871, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing crate

• crate dig
• crate digger
• crate train
• crate trained
• crate-training
• milk crate
• packing crate

Kids Definition

crate

1 of 2 noun

ˈkrāt 

: a box or frame of wooden slats or boards for packing or protecting something in shipment

crate

2 of 2 verb

crated; crating

: to pack in a crate