letter box
noun
variants
or letterbox
plural letter boxes or letterboxes
1
British
: a mailbox: such as
a
: a box at or near a dwelling for the occupant's mail
b
: a public box for deposit of outgoing mail
2
usually letterbox
: a container holding a rubber stamp and notebook log that is hidden in a usually outdoor location for letterboxing enthusiasts to find
Like geocaching, letterboxing involves a search for hidden containers, or letterboxes, that can be found using online clues. The letterboxes usually contain a log book and a hand-carved rubber stamp.—
The Star (Auburn, Indiana)
The Star (Auburn, Indiana)Examples of letter box in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Reminiscent of the round-top letter boxes introduced in the late 1800s, this post box from Anthropologie’s home and garden brand Terrain has enough retro charm to display near the front door or as a unique organizer in your home office.
—Blake Bakkila, Architectural Digest, 3 June 2025
After agreeing to a plea deal, prosecutors dismissed two additional charges of using an explosive to commit a felony and destruction of a letter box.
—Jennifer Rodriguez, Kansas City Star, 25 Feb. 2025
The woman was trying to push a brown package into the letter box, her white hair tossing wildly in the wind.
—Mary Costello, The New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2023
Vornado has saved a few items, including a bronze letter box and some decorative elements from the Café Rouge area.
—Dan Barry, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2023
The letter box dates to the same period as your globe.
—Brenda Yenke, cleveland, 30 June 2022
During the 1870s and ’80s, inventors filed more than a dozen patent applications in the United States for electrical improvements to letter boxes.
—IEEE Spectrum, 8 Aug. 2018
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Blake Bakkila, Architectural Digest, 3 June 2025
After agreeing to a plea deal, prosecutors dismissed two additional charges of using an explosive to commit a felony and destruction of a letter box.
—Jennifer Rodriguez, Kansas City Star, 25 Feb. 2025
The woman was trying to push a brown package into the letter box, her white hair tossing wildly in the wind.
—Mary Costello, The New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2023
Vornado has saved a few items, including a bronze letter box and some decorative elements from the Café Rouge area.
—Dan Barry, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2023
The letter box dates to the same period as your globe.
—Brenda Yenke, cleveland, 30 June 2022
During the 1870s and ’80s, inventors filed more than a dozen patent applications in the United States for electrical improvements to letter boxes.
—IEEE Spectrum, 8 Aug. 2018
Cite this Entry
“Letter box.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/letter%20box. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
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