postal

American  

[pohs-tl] / ˈpoʊs tl /

adjective

1. of or relating to the post office or mail service.

   postal delivery; postal employees.

---

noun

1. Informal. postal card.

idioms

1. go postal, to lose control or go crazy, especially in a violent way.

postal British  

/ ˈpəʊstəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to a Post Office or to the mail-delivery service

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• postally
  adverb

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

Judge Paul Thomas noted that while Barrow was engaged in the online piracy he had a "steady income" working for the postal service, and said it was clear the defendant's motivation was simply "pure greed".

From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026

Elsewhere in California, San Diego postal workers experienced 32 attacks, Oakland had 27, Sacramento had 21, Long Beach had 20 and San Francisco had 21, according to the release.

From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026

In February this year, postal workers told the BBC that some letters had been sitting undelivered for weeks and that they had been told to prioritise parcel delivery instead as it is more profitable.

From BBC • May 29, 2026

California was the top state for dog attacks on postal workers last year, recording 673 incidents overall.

From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026

They even carried slingshots loaded with very hard acorns, in case they met up with dangerous mail bandits along their postal route.

From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood