Synonyms

special delivery

American

noun

(in the U.S. Postal Service) delivery of mail outside the regularly scheduled hours, by a special messenger, upon the payment of an extra fee.

special delivery British

noun

the delivery of a piece of mail outside the time of a scheduled delivery

"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

Other Word Forms

special-delivery adjective

Etymology

Origin of special delivery

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85

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 few weeks ago, I got a text from my grandma: “A special delivery is on its way to you.”

From Salon • Mar. 17, 2026

In the next few days, Mr. Wiggins will receive a special delivery from New York City: the last of the goldfish from underneath the tuberculosis hospital.

From New York Times • Mar. 17, 2023

There’s a special delivery room with Native images on the walls and bed, forms for doctors to approve herbal treatments from trusted traditional healers, and protocols for “good dying” mindful of spiritual beliefs.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 27, 2022

During strike days, Royal Mail said it would not deliver letters - except for special delivery - and would prioritise Covid tests and prescriptions and deliver as many tracked and special delivery parcels are possible.

From BBC • Aug. 22, 2022

Every now and again, I checked the window to see if the special delivery mail truck had rolled up to our house.

From "P.S. Be Eleven" by Rita Williams-Garcia

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