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• mail order
  mail order

  noun

  an order for goods received or shipped through the mail.
• mail-order
  mail-order

  adjective

  pertaining to or obtained by mail order.

mail order

¹ American  

noun

1. an order for goods received or shipped through the mail.

2. the business of selling merchandise through the mail.

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mail-order ² American  

[meyl-awr-der] / ˈmeɪlˌɔr dər /

adjective

1. pertaining to or obtained by mail order.

   a dozen mail-order rosebushes.

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verb (used with object)

1. to order (merchandise) by mail.

   to mail-order fruitcakes for Christmas.

mail order British  

noun

1. an order for merchandise sent by post

2. 1. a system of buying and selling merchandise through the post

   2. ( as modifier )

      a mail-order firm

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Etymology

Origin of mail order¹

An Americanism dating back to 1865–70

Origin of mail-order²

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mail order mail-order

Rosalba worked in the accounting department of a mail order catalog company and later helped her husband run a mechanic shop in Granada Hills.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 19, 2026

To determine whether a pharmacy service was mail order, in-person or another type, the analysis used the classification listed in the record of each prescription.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 27, 2025

Colonna Brothers of North Bergen, N.J., recalled 1.5-ounce Ground Cinnamon and 2.25-ounce Supreme Tradition Ground Cinnamon distributed nationwide and through mail order.

From Salon ● Nov. 12, 2024

Known as the Soundhouse Tapes, the three-track demo gained them a cult following, selling 5,000 copies by mail order.

From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2024

He nodded toward the package sitting next to Grace, a mail order from the kitchen store.

From "Far from the Tree" by Robin Benway

A London shop catering for people who are left-handed was doing a brisk trade both in-store and via mail-order.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

As a form of media, mail-order catalogs themselves were a story of longing and aspiration that came to define shopping as an American way of life.

From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026

Neill plays the awkward, ignorant Scottish farmer who arranges for a mail-order marriage with Holly Hunter’s mute pianist and then becomes possessive and driven to jealous despair.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026

Critics say their role negotiating pricing and discounts with drug companies has made some medicines less affordable, while at the same time parent companies of large PBMs also own mail-order, specialty, or retail pharmacies.

From Barron's ● May 5, 2026

These outlines were sent to the mail-order house, and they sent you shoes to fit the brown wrapping-paper feet.

From "Jacob Have I Loved" by Katherine Paterson