1. plural of meatpacking; the business or process of slaughtering animals and processing their meat for sale
Usage: typically used as a mass noun or in reference to the industry as a whole; often appears in historical or industrial contexts
2. plural of meatpacking; facilities or plants where animals are slaughtered and meat is processed
Usage: countable usage referring to multiple facilities

Examples

• The meatpackings in the Midwest employed thousands of workers during the early 20th century.
• Modern meatpackings use advanced technology to process livestock efficiently.
• Labor conditions in meatpackings have been a subject of reform efforts for decades.
• Several large meatpackings operate in Iowa and Nebraska.
• The meatpackings industry faced significant challenges during the pandemic.