letterbox

American  

[let-er-boks] / ˈlɛt ərˌbɒks /

noun

• letterboxes
  plural

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.

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verb (used with object)

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

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• letterboxes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of letterbox

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

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

letterbox letterboxes

The charity said islanders will receive a scorecard through their letterbox.

From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026

Staffordshire bull terrier Duchess was abandoned, and only survived because of the goodwill of a neighbour, who fed her through a letterbox.

From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026

I speak to the woman who is shouting through the letterbox of a house with smashed windows.

From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026

Engebretsen said he was initially suspicious of the letter informing him of his honour when it dropped through the letterbox.

From BBC ● Dec. 29, 2025

We went on standing in front of the door of the suite, and I noticed that the daily paper was still thrust through the letterbox.

From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier

She said her mum told her "the money's not yours" and blocked her number, before later claiming in court it had been posted through the girls' letterboxes.

From BBC ● Jun. 7, 2025

They told the BBC they had been advised by police to work from home, board up office windows and install fireproof letterboxes.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2024

I’ve told my workers to be strict with what they sell and who to, but they aren’t changing their behaviour much, other than offering to post through letterboxes and accept bank transfers from trusted customers.

From The Guardian ● Mar. 28, 2020

Well, Richards became famous in 2001, when he began posting polite notices through the letterboxes of apostrophe abusers, “drawing your attention to an incorrect use which has been pointed out to us”.

From The Guardian ● Dec. 2, 2019

For I could not help laughing at the idea that even the letterboxes had to enjoy their Sabbath rest.

From Recollections of My Childhood and Youth by Georg Morris Cohen Brandes