mail

¹ American  

[meyl] / meɪl /

noun

1. letters, packages, etc., that are sent or delivered by means of a postal system.

   Storms delayed delivery of the mail.

2. a single collection of such letters, packages, etc., as sent or delivered.

   to open one's mail; to find a bill in the mail; The mail for England was put on the noon plane.

3. Often mails a system, usually operated or supervised by the national government, for sending or delivering letters, packages, etc.; a postal system: Some people don't trust the mails.

   The travel brochures arrived by mail.

   Some people don't trust the mails.

4. a train, boat, etc., as a carrier of postal matter.

5. email.

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adjective

1. of or relating to mail.

verb (used with object)

1. to send by mail, as by placing in a mailbox; transmit by a postal system.

2. to transmit by email.

verb (used without object)

1. to be sent by a postal system.

   Tax forms are mailing today.

2. to transmit messages by email.

   We only mail to people who sign up on our website.

idioms

1. copy the mail, to monitor or listen to a CB transmission.

mail ² American  

[meyl] / meɪl /

noun

1. flexible armor of interlinked rings.

2. any flexible armor or covering, as one having a protective exterior of scales or small plates.

3. Textiles. an oval piece of metal pierced with a hole through which the warp ends are threaded, serving as an eyelet on a heddle or especially on the harness cords of a Jacquard loom.

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verb (used with object)

1. to clothe or arm with mail.

mail ³ American  

[meyl] / meɪl /

Or maill

noun

Scot.

1. monetary payment or tribute, especially rent or tax.

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mail ¹ British  

/ meɪl /

noun

1. Also called (esp Brit): post.  letters, packages, etc, that are transported and delivered by the post office

2. the postal system

3. a single collection or delivery of mail

4. a train, ship, or aircraft that carries mail

5. short for electronic mail

6. (modifier) of, involving, or used to convey mail

   a mail train

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verb

1. Usual Brit word: post.  to send by mail

2. to contact (a person) by electronic mail

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

mail ² British  

/ meɪl /

noun

1. a type of flexible armour consisting of riveted metal rings or links

2. the hard protective shell of such animals as the turtle and lobster

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verb

1. (tr) to clothe or arm with mail

mail ³ British  

/ meɪl /

noun

1. archaic a monetary payment, esp of rent or taxes

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mail ⁴ British  

/ meɪl /

noun

1. informal a rumour or report, esp a racing tip

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Other Word Forms

• mail-less adjective
• mailability noun
• mailable adjective
• mailless adjective

Etymology

Origin of mail¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English noun mal(l)e, mail(e), maille “bag, pouch,” from Old French mal(l)e “peddler's basket, trunk, mail coach,” from Germanic; compare Old High German mal(a)ha “satchel, bag”; verb derivative of the noun

Origin of mail²

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English maille, maill(e) “one of the rings of which armor was composed,” from Old French mail(l)e, male, from Latin macula “spot, one of the interstices in a net, a mesh”; macula

Origin of mail³

First recorded before 1150; Middle English mol(e), moul, male, late Old English māl “lawsuit, legal action, agreement,” from Old Norse māl “speech, stipulation, legal case, agreement,” cognate with Old English mǣl “speech, conversation” and mæthel “assembly, meeting”

Example Sentences

Sending time-sensitive documents like college applications, check payments, tax returns, insurance appeals and ballots through the mail?

From The Wall Street Journal

A week later I mailed off the book.

From Los Angeles Times

For his part, Do pleaded guilty in January 2025 to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and one count of subscribing to a false tax return.

From Los Angeles Times

Mark Mariscal, a longtime Altadena resident, said he faced months of delays by his insurance company but, with help from the Eaton Fire Survivors Network, finally got a check in the mail.

From Los Angeles Times

Customs said paper checks have gotten lost in the mail or been subject to theft or fraud, and that the payment method is more expensive and takes longer than sending a refund electronically.

From The Wall Street Journal