drop letter

American  

noun

1. a letter that is mailed to a local address at a post office without city delivery or a rural delivery service and must be picked up by the addressee.

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Etymology

Origin of drop letter

An Americanism dating back to 1835–45

Example Sentences

Georgetown Law decided Friday to drop letter grades for students pursuing JD degrees.

From Washington Post • Apr. 6, 2020

There was seldom a night that some one was not laughing contemptuously or frowning fiercely over a "drop letter," as we called them.

From Stage Confidences by Morris, Clara

It must be a drop letter, as no mail has been received this morning.'

From The Comstock Club by Goodwin, Charles Carroll

The drop letter rate of postage will remain the same as now.

From History of the Postage Stamps of the United States of America by Tiffany, John Kerr

The drop letter system places an immense amount of business in the hands of these stations.

From The Secrets of the Great City by McCabe, James Dabney