delivery
Americannoun
-
deliveries
plural
-
the carrying and turning over of letters, goods, etc., to a designated recipient or recipients.
-
a giving up or handing over; surrender.
-
the utterance or enunciation of words.
-
vocal and bodily behavior during the presentation of a speech.
a speaker's fine delivery.
-
the act or manner of giving or sending forth.
the pitcher's fine delivery of the ball.
-
the state of being delivered of or giving birth to a child; parturition.
-
something delivered.
The delivery is late today.
-
Commerce. a shipment of goods from the seller to the buyer.
-
Law. a formal act performed to make a transfer of property legally effective.
a delivery of deed.
-
Also called delivery end. Printing. the part of a printing press where the paper emerges in printed form.
-
Archaic. release or rescue; liberation; deliverance.
noun
-
-
the act of delivering or distributing goods, mail, etc
-
something that is delivered
-
( as modifier )
a delivery service
-
-
the act of giving birth to a child
she had an easy delivery
-
manner or style of utterance, esp in public speaking or recitation
the chairman had a clear delivery
-
the act of giving or transferring or the state of being given or transferred
-
the act of rescuing or state of being rescued; liberation
-
sport
-
the act or manner of bowling or throwing a ball
-
the ball so delivered
a fast delivery
-
-
an actual or symbolic handing over of property, a deed, etc
-
the discharge rate of a compressor or pump
-
(in South Africa) the supply of basic services to communities deprived under apartheid
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of delivery
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English delyvere, delyvery, from Anglo-French delivrée, noun use of feminine past participle of delivrer “to deliver,” with suffix assimilated to -ery; see deliver
Explanation
When you make a delivery, you bring something somewhere. A delivery can be in the form of something physical, as when you receive a delivery in the mail, or verbal, as in the delivery of a speech or address. Delivery once could only mean "the action of handing something to another," but it has a long history of being applied in other ways. The idea of childbirth as being a delivery came about in the 1570's, while the term was applied to a punch in the 1580's, and to throwing a ball in 1702. A verbal delivery is the manner in which a speech is presented. As a comedian, you know the importance of a good delivery — timing the punchline just right.
Vocabulary lists containing delivery
The SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 1
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The ACT Reading Test: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 1
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The New SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Medical applications include wound dressings, drug delivery systems, and resorbable implants or sutures that slowly degrade inside the body.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 17, 2026
Ruteng Regional General Hospital's operating room, delivery room, pharmacy, and laboratory were all rendered defunct after the building's roof collapsed.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
The new Labour leader has won praise for his fluent, natural style on camera, in contrast to Starmer's somewhat stiff delivery.
From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026
He’s siding with delivery companies that prioritize rapid service over safety and resist accountability.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
I get giddy couples asking for champagne delivery, and apologetic businessmen telephoning home to announce their delayed arrivals, and tired mothers searching for all-night chemists to provide cough syrup for sick children.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
Geely sold 1.42 million vehicles during the period, up about 1% from a year earlier, supported by a more than doubling in overseas deliveries to 474,288 units.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
German steel giant Thyssenkrupp said Thursday that it was monitoring water levels in the Rhine and ready to respond if they drop further, after boat deliveries of raw material deliveries were disrupted.
From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026
From TV streaming, to meal deliveries and beauty boxes there are subscriptions for almost everything.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
These layoffs are part of an initiative aimed at streamlining package pickups and deliveries by merging ground and express delivery networks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
I popped around to everyone, working, chatting, telling jokes, making deliveries.
From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
