mailbox

American  

[meyl-boks] / ˈmeɪlˌbɒks /

noun

1. a public box in which mail is placed for pickup and delivery by the post office.

2. a private box, as at a home, into which mail is delivered by the mail carrier.

3. Computers. a file for storing electronic mail.

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mailbox British  

/ ˈmeɪlˌbɒks /

noun

1. 1. a slot, usually covered with a hinged flap, through which letters, etc are delivered to a building

   2. Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): letter box.  a private box into which letters, etc, are delivered

2. Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): postbox.  a public box into which letters, etc, are put for collection and delivery

3. (on a computer) the directory in which e-mail messages are stored; also used of the icon that can be clicked to provide access to e-mails

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Etymology

Origin of mailbox

First recorded in 1800–10; mail ¹ + box ¹

Example Sentences

The Oxbridge e-learning website, based at the Mailbox in Birmingham, offered more than 250 courses with specialist tutors and learning advisors.

From BBC • Oct. 13, 2025

Set in the fictional Midlands village of Ambridge, it has been recorded at various locations in Birmingham since 1950, including making its home at The Mailbox, in 2004.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2025

The Sinking Ferry Mailbox NECESSITY, PLEASURE, FUN and even folly define the network of ferryboats traversing the Puget Sound.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 14, 2023

Conditioning hikes near Seattle include Mount Si, which covers 3,200 feet of elevation gain in 4 miles, and Mailbox Peak, which gains 4,000 feet of elevation in a little less than 5 miles.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 25, 2022

I hailed an autocab outside the Mailbox, making sure to select one operated by a local cab company and not a SupraCab, which was a wholly owned subsidiary of IOI.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline