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

See Examples For:

postal

Jackson’s proposal died in the Senate, but that did not end postal censorship of abolitionist periodicals.

From Slate ● Sep. 4, 2026

The postal service delivered 85% of first class deliveries the next day between March and June, up from 76% in the same three months of 2025, but below regulator Ofcom's 90% target.

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

In March, postal workers from across the UK told the BBC they were being asked to move or hide mail from senior bosses so it looks like delivery targets were being met.

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

The packages had UPS labels, but were found sitting in the back of a U.S. postal truck, Sternin testified.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

Even the London General Post Office, which was the swiftest and most reliable postal service in the world, would be flummoxed by that address.

From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood