postmistress

noun

post·​mis·​tress ˈpōs(t)-ˌmi-strəs How to pronounce postmistress (audio)
: a woman who is a postmaster

Examples of postmistress in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Robin Garbutt has spent the last 12 years behind bars after being convicted in 2011 of killing his postmistress wife Diana above their shop in Melsonby, North Yorkshire. The Week Uk, theweek, 22 Jan. 2024 When his mother, the postmistress, died, Ms. Sweeney succeeded her in the job. Alex Traub, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2024 Left with only a small life insurance policy and a meager pension, her mother made ends meet by taking in sewing and working part time in a grocery store before becoming the Plains postmistress. Kevin Sullivan, Washington Post, 19 Nov. 2023 Her mother, Mary (Canning), Bolton, was the local postmistress. Sam Roberts, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2023 Named for the university’s postmistress and librarian Amelia Gayle Gorgas, who was the wife of Confederate General Josiah Gorgas, the university’s eighth president and librarian. Ben Flanagan | Bflanagan@al.com, al, 7 June 2020 His mother, Angela (Salvi) Gimondi, was the town’s postmistress; his father, Mosè, managed a gravel-trucking business. Ian Austen, BostonGlobe.com, 25 Aug. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'postmistress.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1697, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of postmistress was in 1697

Dictionary Entries Near postmistress

Cite this Entry

“Postmistress.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/postmistress. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

postmistress

noun
post·​mis·​tress ˈpōs(t)-ˌmis-trəs How to pronounce postmistress (audio)
: a woman in charge of a post office

More from Merriam-Webster on postmistress

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