container
n. countablen. a box, bottle, or jar that holds things inside it. In the world of computers, it is a special way to package software so it runs the same way on any machine.
n. a receptacle for holding or carrying goods. In a computing context, a lightweight, standalone package of software that includes everything needed to run an application, ensuring consistency across different environments.
Please put the leftovers in a plastic container.
The developer used a container to ensure the application would run perfectly on both the testing server and the cloud.
Modern cloud architecture relies heavily on container technology to isolate processes and manage resources efficiently across distributed networks.
From Middle English conteyner, equivalent to contain + -er.
In its computing sense, the word is frequently used as a modifier in phrases like 'container orchestration' or 'container image'.