Synonyms

postcode

American

[pohst-kohd] / ˈpoʊstˌkoʊd /

noun

British.

an official code used by the post office, similar to the U.S. zip code, that adds numbers and letters to addresses to expedite mail delivery.

postcode British

/ ˈpəʊstˌkəʊd /

noun

Also called: postal code. US equivalent: zip code. a code of letters and digits used as part of a postal address to aid the sorting of mail

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

postcodes

plural

Etymology

Origin of postcode

First recorded in 1965–70; post ³ + code

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

postcode postcodes

Dr Jessica Eccles, a researcher on brain-body interactions and hypermobility, says diagnosis can be a "postcode lottery in terms of where you are and what opportunities are available to you for assessment".

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026

Stephen has a warning, though: "A return to the UK could be a useful brand reset, but a postcode does not reposition a brand. Behaviour does."

From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026

He said the government's aim was to make the country "more resilient" and to "drive growth in every postcode".

From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026

You can check how the changes will affect you with Devon County Council's postcode checker on their website.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

On Yahoo’s front page there are news stories, tailored to your postcode or whatever—God only knows how they know my postcode, but they do.

From "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins

Prepayment meter users pay £129 more a year than those on competitive fixed direct debit tariffs, while drivers living in deprived postcodes faced an average of £153 extra on their motor insurance.

From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026

On his return to becoming a national politician, Burnham was at pains to praise the "positives in all places and all postcodes", saying he would help rural areas and boost coastal communities.

From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026

Many of the parties' most-viewed adverts were targeted towards individual towns, constituencies or even postcodes.

From BBC ● Apr. 25, 2026

Hot spot areas include Birmingham, which has five out of the top 15 postcodes in the UK for accidents involving uninsured drivers.

From BBC ● Apr. 17, 2026

The men used Google to search affluent postcodes to identify potential targets, according to police, before looking up floor plans on Rightmove.

From BBC ● Apr. 14, 2026

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023