mail

1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈmāl 

often attributive

1

a

: material (such as letters and packages) sent or carried in a postal system

sorting through the mail

also : similar material distributed within an organization

interoffice mail

b

: email sense 2a

c

: a conveyance that transports mail

2

: a nation's postal system

a letter sent through the mail

—often used in plural

packages sent through the mails

3

chiefly Scotland : bag, wallet

mail

2 of 4

verb

mailed; mailing; mails

transitive verb

: to send by mail : post entry 4

mailability

ˌmā-lə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

mailable

ˈmā-lə-bəl 

adjective

mail

3 of 4

noun (2)

1

: armor made of metal links or sometimes plates

2

: a hard enclosing covering of an animal (such as a tortoise)

mailed

ˈmāld 

adjective

mail

4 of 4

noun (3)

chiefly Scotland

: payment, rent

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• correspondence
• matter
• parcel post
• post [chiefly British]
• snail mail

Verb

• post

Examples of mail in a Sentence

Noun (1)

began receiving lots of mail after he became known as a frequent donor to charities

Verb

if you don't mail that letter soon, it's going to arrive late

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Nearly 1 million absentee ballots have been requested by Wisconsin voters and morethan 715,000 ballots have already been returned to clerks, either by mail or by those voting in-person absentee, elections officials said. —Mary Spicuzza, Journal Sentinel, 26 Oct. 2024

The court record said that about 20 election ballots, along with numerous pieces of mail, were destroyed. —Lauren De Young, The Arizona Republic, 25 Oct. 2024

Verb

The good thing is, about this time, Bishop began using some of the jokes and sketches that Koz had been mailing him. —Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 25 Oct. 2024

An envelope with white powder was mailed to his house, however, which eventually inspired the joke. —Variety, NBC News, 24 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English male, from Anglo-French, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German malaha bag

Noun (2)

Middle English maille metal link, mail, from Anglo-French, from Latin macula spot, mesh

Noun (3)

Middle English male, maille, from Old English māl agreement, pay, from Old Norse māl speech, agreement; akin to Old English mǣl speech

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Verb

1827, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (3)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing mail

• by return mail
• certified mail
• chain mail
• coat of mail
• direct mail
• electronic mail
• e-mail
• fan mail
• hate mail
• Irish mail
• junk e-mail
• junk mail
• lost in the mail
• mail carrier
• mail drop
• mail order
• mail-order catalog
• mail room
• registered mail
• snail mail
• surface mail
• voice mail

Kids Definition

mail

1 of 3 noun

ˈmā(ə)l 

1

: letters or parcels sent from one person to another especially through the post office

2

: something that comes in the mail and especially in a single delivery

3

: a vehicle (as a train, truck, or boat) that carries mail

4

: the system used in the public sending and delivery of letters and parcels

do business by mail

5

: email sense 2

mail

2 of 3 verb

: to send by mail : post

mailable

ˈmā-lə-bəl

adjective

mailer noun

mail

3 of 3 noun

: armor made of small metal links or sometimes plates

a coat of mail

mailed

ˈmā(ə)ld

adjective

Etymology

Noun

Middle English male "a wallet or traveling bag," from early French male (same meaning); of Germanic origin

Noun

Middle English maille "metal plates used on armor," from early French maille (same meaning), derived from Latin macula "spot, mesh of a net"