The Spanish verb 'empacar' (meaning 'to pack') comes from combining three elements: the prefix 'em-' (meaning 'in, into'), the root 'paca' (meaning 'pack, bale'), and the verb suffix '-ar'. The root 'paca' itself comes from Old French 'pacque' meaning 'pack, bundle'. When these elements combined, they formed a verb that literally means 'to put into a pack' or simply 'to pack'.

A simpler related Spanish word is 'paca', which means 'bale' (as in a compressed bundle of material like cotton or hay). You can see how 'empacar' is essentially describing the action of creating a 'paca' - turning something into a packed bundle.

English speakers will find it helpful to know that 'empacar' is related to the English word 'pack'. Both words can be traced back to similar origins, with the Spanish word adding the 'em-' prefix to indicate the action of putting something into a pack. When you 'empacar' something, you're 'packing' it, making this a fairly straightforward connection between Spanish and English.