letterbox

[let-er-boks]

noun

1. Chiefly British.,  Also letter box a public or private mailbox.

2. Digital Technology, Television.,  a technique for displaying a wide-screen film or landscape video on a narrower screen by reducing its size but retaining the aspect ratio, with black bands filling the screen above and below the picture (often used attributively).

   letterbox videos.

verb (used with object)

1. Digital Technology, Television.,  to display (a film or video) by using the letterbox technique.

Word History and Origins

Origin of letterbox¹

First recorded in 1765–75; letter ¹ ( def. ) + box ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

A man in his 40s and a woman in her 30s were inside the property in Princess Avenue when an accelerant was poured through the letterbox on the front door and set alight.

From BBC

William Newbury, 22, said he was dropping off baby presents to a friend at her boyfriend's house in Llanrumney, Cardiff, on Mother's Day when he saw the "nightmare" attack through their letterbox.

From BBC

"It turned out to be the mother, I went up to the letterbox and looked through and saw the mum and the baby being attacked by three dogs," he said.

From BBC

"The door must have been locked or broken as I couldn't get in, but I tried banging on the door and shouting through the letterbox to try and distract the dog."

From BBC

Previously the company only accepted parcels small enough to fit through a letterbox.

From BBC