postal
Americanadjective
noun
idioms
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of postal
First recorded in 1835–45; post 3 def. + -al 1; 1990–95 postal for def. 3, in reference to incidents of violence among postal workers in the early 1990s
Explanation
The term postal refers to an official, government-run mail service that delivers letters and packages right to your door or mailbox. Postal workers sort mail at post offices, sell postage stamps, collect packages to be delivered, and deliver the mail. When you're sending a package or letter to someone, you should include the correct postal code — also known as a ZIP code in the U.S. — in the address to help make sure it gets to the right place. The postal system connects people across towns, cities, and even countries by working to get letters and parcels to their intended destinations.
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.
A Green Party spokesperson previously told the Times, which first reported on the story, that Polanski may have used a postal vote in Hackney after he was seen campaigning in Wales on polling day.
From BBC • May 14, 2026
In 1936, a Harlem postal worker named Victor Green began publishing the Negro Motorist Green Book, a guide to the hotels, restaurants and gas stations along the route that would serve Black travelers.
From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026
More than 1,300 applicants for postal votes have not received their ballot papers ahead of election for the Welsh Parliament on Thursday, a council has said.
From BBC • May 6, 2026
Cardiff Council said it had has issued almost 47,000 postal vote packs and more than 26,500 had already been returned.
From BBC • May 5, 2026
The forms sat on my desk for a week before Robin walked with me to the post office and watched me hand them to the postal worker.
From "Educated" by Tara Westover
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.
