zip code

¹ American  

Or ZIP code,

noun

1. a system used in the U.S. to facilitate the delivery of mail, consisting of a five- or nine-digit code printed directly after the address, the first five digits initial code indicating the state and post office or postal zone, the last four expanded code the box section or number, portion of a rural route, building, or other specific delivery location.

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zip-code ² American  

[zip-kohd] / ˈzɪpˌkoʊd /

Or ZIP-code,

verb (used with object)

zip-coded, zip-coding

1. to provide or mark with a zip code.

   Zip-code all mail.

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zip code British  

noun

1. the US equivalent of postcode

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Etymology

Origin of zip code

An Americanism first recorded in 1960–65, Z(one) I(mprovement) P(rogram)

Example Sentences

“There’s a supply-and-demand dynamic that sometimes produces counterintuitive results,” said Samir Shah, chief executive of CareScout, which has a tool that is searchable by zip code to help pinpoint cost estimates.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 4, 2026

"Our zip code is dictating our health, and plastics therefore are a major environmental justice issue, because these are communities of color and low-income communities," Enck said.

From Barron's • Jan. 22, 2026

Once registered - using their name, email and zip code - fans will be entered into the random draw for time slots to buy tickets in April.

From BBC • Jan. 14, 2026

To get around these problems, the scientists developed a "molecular GPS" for immune cells that guided them with a "zip code" for the brain and a "street address" for the tumor.

From Science Daily • Dec. 5, 2024

Camille is pounding away on the keyboard, sighing when someone lives in the wrong zip code and taking a triumphant bite of pasta when she finds a possibility.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller