Paquete

Paquete is a Spanish noun that primarily denotes a wrapped or boxed object intended for transport or delivery. In everyday language it most often means a parcel or package sent by mail or courier. The term can also describe a bundle of items sold or prepared together, such as a gift package or a care package.

In computing and information technology, paquete also designates a software package or a bundle of files distributed for installation or use. In data communication, it is used to refer to a data packet—the unit of data transmitted over a network. Etymologically, the word comes from Old French paquet, from Latin pac- meaning “compact, bundle.”

A notable regional use is the Paquete Dominicano, a term for offline digital media collections circulated in the Dominican Republic and neighboring areas. These packages are assembled weekly and distributed on USB drives, DVDs, or hard drives, containing movies, TV shows, music, and software. The phenomenon began in the 2010s and has been described as a form of offline piracy that raises debates about copyright, access to media, and the informal economy in the region.