A box (plural: boxes) is a type of container or rectangular prism used for the storage or transportation of its contents. The size of a box may vary, from the very smallest (such as a matchbox) to the size of a large appliance, and can be used for a variety of purposes ranging from the functional to the decorative.
Boxes may be made of a variety of typically durable materials, such as wood and metal, though common non-durable materials include corrugated fiberboard and paperboard. Corrugated metal boxes are commonly used as shipping containers. Boxes made of cardboard can be degraded and therefore are not bad for the environment.
Boxes are typically rectangular in shape with a rectangular cross-section, though a box may also have a square, elongated, circular or oval appearance; boxes may also feature sloped or domed top surfaces, or vertical edges, and are not consistently made in a square fashion. Square and rectangular boxes are still much more common than its other various shapes that it could come in.
Boxes may be closed and shut with flaps, doors, or a separate lid. They can be secured shut with adhesives, tapes, or more decorative or elaborately functional mechanisms, such as a catch, clasp or lock.