e-mail

British  

/ ˈiːmeɪl /

noun

1. short for electronic mail

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verb

1. to contact (a person) by electronic mail

2. to send (a message, document, etc) by electronic mail

e-mail Scientific  

/ ē′māl′ /

1. A system for sending and receiving messages electronically over a computer network. E-mail is asynchronous and does not require the receiver of the message to be online at the time the message is sent or received. E-mail also allows a user to distribute messages to large numbers of recipients instantaneously.

2. A message or messages sent or received by such a system.

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e-mail Cultural  

1. E-mail has become one of the most widely used aspects of the Internet, because it provides a means of mass communication to almost anywhere in the world at high speed.

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Discover More

The proliferation of spam and the transmission of computer viruses through e-mail attachments are two of the more problematic aspects of this technology.

Other Word Forms

• e-mailer noun

Example Sentences

On 26 January, staff in an office in Mumbai received an urgent e-mail from a crew member aboard a tanker off the coast of Singapore.

From BBC • Feb. 10, 2026

The DUP even made it the subject of its weekly e-mail to members, headlined: "Never afraid to speak up and speak out."

From BBC • Feb. 8, 2026

Clark, who is now the special agent in charge of the Los Angeles field office, did not respond to an e-mail seeking comment.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 13, 2025

In September 2008, Paltrow launched Goop, a wellness and lifestyle brand that first began as a weekly e-mail newsletter before expanding into an e-commerce platform, a print magazine and pop-up stores.

From Salon • Aug. 9, 2025

I read in one of Papi’s business etiquette books that you should never write an e-mail or a letter when you’re mad because you’re likely to shoot your mouth off and say something you’ll regret.

From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina