delivery

American  

[dih-liv-uh-ree] / dɪˈlɪv ə ri /

noun

plural

deliveries

1. the carrying and turning over of letters, goods, etc., to a designated recipient or recipients.

2. a giving up or handing over; surrender.

3. the utterance or enunciation of words.

4. vocal and bodily behavior during the presentation of a speech.

   a speaker's fine delivery.

5. the act or manner of giving or sending forth.

   the pitcher's fine delivery of the ball.

6. the state of being delivered of or giving birth to a child; parturition.

7. something delivered.

   The delivery is late today.

8. Commerce. a shipment of goods from the seller to the buyer.

9. Law. a formal act performed to make a transfer of property legally effective.

   a delivery of deed.

10. Also called delivery end.  Printing. the part of a printing press where the paper emerges in printed form.

11. Archaic. release or rescue; liberation; deliverance.

---

delivery British  

/ dɪˈlɪvərɪ /

noun

1. 1. the act of delivering or distributing goods, mail, etc

   2. something that is delivered

   3. ( as modifier )

      a delivery service

2. the act of giving birth to a child

   she had an easy delivery

3. manner or style of utterance, esp in public speaking or recitation

   the chairman had a clear delivery

4. the act of giving or transferring or the state of being given or transferred

5. the act of rescuing or state of being rescued; liberation

6. sport

   1. the act or manner of bowling or throwing a ball

   2. the ball so delivered

      a fast delivery

7. an actual or symbolic handing over of property, a deed, etc

8. the discharge rate of a compressor or pump

9. (in South Africa) the supply of basic services to communities deprived under apartheid

---

Other Word Forms

• misdelivery
  noun
• nondelivery
  noun
• postdelivery
  adjective
• predelivery
  noun
• redelivery
  noun

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.

Example Sentences

Delivery Hero can achieve its growth plans, with expectations of outpacing the delivery market as younger generations increasingly value the speed and convenience of its offerings, he says.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

The move comes after Prosus struck a deal last year to buy Just Eat Takeaway, a rival to both Delivery Hero and Uber.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

Delivery robots are both disappointing in their reality and alarming in their symbolic implication.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

"Delivery drivers were leaving parcels at my house as they refuse to drive higher up the valley to deliver them to residents."

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

It’s an old orange Dodge Caravan with a sign on the side that says: “On Delivery From Polyface Inc. Follow me to the Best Restaurants in Town.”

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan

Related Words

• consignment
• distribution
• shipment
• transmission