postbox

American

[pohst-boks] / ˈpoʊstˌbɒks /

noun

Chiefly British.

a mailbox, especially one for public deposit of mail.

postbox British

/ ˈpəʊstˌbɒks /

noun

Also called: letter box. a box into which mail is put for collection by the postal service

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of postbox

First recorded in 1745–55; post ³ + box ¹

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.

BBC NI went to Newtownabbey, County Antrim, where there is a newly upgraded postbox.

From BBC • Jan. 31, 2026

"I really don't know what an automatic postbox is," said Ralph Boyd.

From BBC • Jan. 31, 2026

"Our message is clear, if you have a Royal Mail label on your parcel, and it fits, put it in a postbox and we'll do the rest," Mr Clarkson said.

From BBC • Aug. 27, 2025

Customers procure a barcode from an app, then at the postbox they scan the barcode and drop the parcel into a drawer - this is all powered by solar panels on the box.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2025

I wish I could open my postbox every day.

From "Tasting the Sky" by Ibtisam Barakat

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023