postage

American  

[poh-stij] / ˈpoʊ stɪdʒ /

noun

1. the charge for the conveyance of a letter or other matter sent by mail, usually prepaid by means of a stamp or stamps.

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postage British  

/ ˈpəʊstɪdʒ /

noun

1. 1. the charge for delivering a piece of mail

   2. ( as modifier )

      postage charges

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Etymology

Origin of postage

First recorded in 1580–90; post ³ + -age

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Explanation

Postage is the cost of sending something in the mail. If the postage for mailing your brother's collection of porcelain pigs is too high, you might want to bring them with you when you drive to his house instead. Use the noun postage for the expense of mailing letters and packages, or for the stamps themselves: "Don't forget to attach the postage before you put that in the mailbox!" Some people, in fact, refer to them as "postage stamps." Postage comes from post, "mail system": early mail carriers were "posted" along a road, like a relay race, to speed delivery.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

postage

Peter Max, the pop artist and hippie icon who helped define the vibrant psychedelic style of the 1960s and whose work graced posters, album covers, T-shirts, dinnerware, postage stamps and beyond, has died.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026

These special non-denominated postage stamps will always cover a standard 1-ounce letter, even if stamp prices go up again.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 8, 2026

A postage stamp shows the vessel in operation at the time.

From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2026

Use certified mail, registered mail, or an approved private delivery service like FedEx or UPS, not labels from self-service kiosks or postage meters.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 20, 2026

He tipped his fur cap and leaned slightly on the bar of his postage cart as he rolled it away from the Vanderbeeker brownstone and down the street.

From "The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street" by Karina Yan Glaser

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