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mailbag

American  
[meyl-bag] / ˈmeɪlˌbæg /

noun

  1. a large bag used by mail carriers for carrying mail, usually equipped with a shoulder strap.

  2. a large bag or pouch used in transporting mail in bulk from general post offices to branch offices, from city to city, etc.

mailbag British  
/ ˈmeɪlˌbæɡ /

noun

  1. a large bag used for transporting or delivering mail

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of mailbag

First recorded in 1805–15; mail 1 + bag

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Editor’s note: Columnist Charlie Garcia shares select emails from his virtual mailbag every week.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 31, 2025

Your letter may be published anonymously in the weekly “Dear Charlie” reader mailbag.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 25, 2025

Those are questions tackled in our latest Seahawks Twitter/X mailbag with questions lightly edited for clarity.

From Seattle Times • May 29, 2024

The mailbag returns for its now bi-weekly appearance in the rejuvenated Sunday baseball section.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 13, 2024

Cassiopeia let her mailbag slip to the floor.

From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.