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

“But what if she’s using a different post office? Like, what if she’s on one side of the city, but mailing the postcards from another?”

From Literature

Army Ranger Pat Tillman pleaded guilty Monday in federal court to setting fire to a Northern California post office last summer.

From Los Angeles Times

He’d seen an American flag on a flagpole in front of the post office.

From Literature

On one side of the street there was Yount’s General—a combination general store and post office.

From Literature

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

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• postal service