post office

American  

[pohst aw-fis, of-is] / ˈpoʊst ˌɔ fɪs, ˌɒf ɪs /

noun

1. an office or station of a government postal system at which mail is received and sorted, from which it is dispatched and distributed, and at which stamps are sold or other services rendered. PO, P.O.

2. Often Post Office the department of a government charged with the transportation of mail.

3. an old-fashioned game in which one player is designated “postmaster” or “postmistress” and calls another player of a different gender into an adjoining room, ostensibly to receive a letter but actually to receive a kiss.

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Post Office ¹ British  

noun

1. a government department or authority in many countries responsible for postal services and often telecommunications

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post office ² British  

noun

1. a building or room where postage stamps are sold and other postal business is conducted

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Other Word Forms

• post-office adjective

Etymology

Origin of post office

First recorded in 1645–55

Example Sentences

A gas station, post office, general store and the Crowbar Café & Saloon anchor the town.

From Los Angeles Times

But instead of being removed, they are going to be upgraded - people will be able to post small parcels there and then without a trip to the post office.

From BBC

The memory comes back fast: Mom dragging me to the post office when we lived in Brooklyn.

From Literature

Locals pick up their parcels at the downtown post office, where, locals say, serendipitous run-ins with neighbors are an essential part of the small-town charm.

From Los Angeles Times

Metz writes in his book that Disney was particularly taken with Fairyland’s mini post office, which allowed children to send letters straight from the park.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• postal service