postal

American  

[pohs-tl] / ˈpoʊs tl /

adjective

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

   postal delivery; postal employees.

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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

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Other Word 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

When a signed copy of my first book got lost in the Salvadoran postal system, I joked I’d hand-deliver it.

From Slate • Apr. 12, 2026

The Journal noted that postal regulators still needed to approve the deal.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

In an era of amateurism, all her success came when she was working part-time in the postal office at a Guinness factory in London.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

A CWU spokesperson said: "This devaluing of a postal worker's job, combined with a toxic managerial culture, has created chaos and demoralisation in almost every workplace across the country."

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

Mr. Stinson drove the postal RFD wagon that delivered the mail, so he knew and talked to everybody in the entire town, regardless of their race.

From "Stella by Starlight" by Sharon M. Draper