Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for postman. Search instead for portman.
Synonyms

postman

1 American  
[pohst-muhn] / ˈpoʊst mən /

noun

postmen plural
  1. a postal employee who carries and delivers mail; mail carrier.

  2. Archaic. a courier.


postman 2 American  
[pohst-muhn] / ˈpoʊst mən /

noun

Old English Law.
postmen plural
  1. a barrister in the Court of Exchequer who had precedence in motions.


postman British  
/ ˈpəʊstmən /

noun

  1. a person who carries and delivers mail as a profession

"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

Gender

See -man.

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

Etymology

Origin of postman1

First recorded in 1520–30; post 3 + -man

Origin of postman2

First recorded in 1760–70; post 1 + -man

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.

Unsure who was responsible, or who might have read her most private thoughts, she became terrified to take public transport, leave home, or even open the door to the postman.

From BBC • Jan. 16, 2026

Ralph Belmonte, a resident of Grange Road for 47 years, said a postman discovered the body on the road after having mistaken it for a dummy strapped to the roof of a driving car.

From BBC • Dec. 30, 2025

The postman Joseph Roulin and his wife, Augustine, became Van Gogh’s principal friends during his stay in Arles.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 25, 2025

Former postman Jonathan Roberts told the jury he heard the explosion as he drove past Mr Davies' house.

From BBC • Sep. 15, 2025

The talk was more likely to be about becoming a postman or working on a farm.

From "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "postman" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com