Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A protective wrapping for articles of merchandise consisting of a clear plastic film that is wound about the articles and then shrunk by heat to form a sealed, tight-fitting package.
  • transitive verb To wrap (an article of merchandise) in protective clear plastic film.
  • adjective Of or relating to shrink-wrap.
  • adjective Of or relating to a legal agreement, such as a software license, to which one indicates acceptance by opening the shrink-wrap that encloses a product subject to the agreement.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun a type of plastic film, usually transparent, that shrinks upon application of heat, and may be used to form a wrapping around objects that fits tightly and closely follows the contours of the wrapped object; -- also called shrink-pack, shrinkpack or shrink-wrapping.
  • transitive verb to wrap and seal (an object for sale) in a transparent sheet of plastic material that is shrunken to a tight-fitting wrapping by the application of heat.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A plastic film that is used to protect an item and which during application contracts so it tightly enclose it.
  • noun The wrapping around an item that has been shrink-wrapped.
  • verb To apply shrink-wrap to (an item).

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the clinging transparent plastic film that is used to shrinkwrap something
  • verb wrap something tightly with heated plastic that shrinks upon cooling

Etymologies

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  • What a newly-graduated psychologist is packaged in.

    December 30, 2023