delivery

noun

de·​liv·​ery di-ˈli-v(ə-)rē How to pronounce delivery (audio)
dē-
plural deliveries
: the act or manner of delivering something
also : something delivered

Examples of delivery in a Sentence

The delivery is scheduled for this morning. The company offers free delivery with orders over $100. Someone has to be home to accept delivery of the package. Allow six weeks for delivery. The baby weighed almost seven pounds at the time of delivery. The doctor expects it to be a routine delivery. The doctor has had three deliveries today. The joke was funny, but his delivery was terrible. I need to work on my delivery before I give the speech.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
To make this scalable, consider building a new hire training university with pre-recorded content that automates much of the information delivery. Ryan Hohman, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025 The new deliveries will come on top of other pledges of military equipment. Lorne Cook, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2025 Post-sale Coordinating the purchase, delivery and installation of appliances should take a few business days, depending on the home location and the Studio’s inventory availability, Solur said. Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 5 Aug. 2025 The offer is available in store and for delivery orders, according to Insomnia Cookies' Instagram page. Susan Selasky, Freep.com, 5 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for delivery

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of delivery was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Delivery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delivery. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

delivery

noun
de·​liv·​ery di-ˈliv-(ə-)rē How to pronounce delivery (audio)
plural deliveries
1
: a delivering from something that restricts or burdens
2
a
: the act of handing over
b
: a legal transfer of right or title
c
: something delivered at one time or in one unit
3
: the action of giving birth
4
: a delivering especially of a speech
5
: manner or style of delivering

Medical Definition

delivery

noun
de·​liv·​ery di-ˈliv-(ə-)rē How to pronounce delivery (audio)
plural deliveries
1
: the act of giving birth : the expulsion or extraction of a fetus and its membranes : parturition
2
: the procedure of assisting birth of the fetus and expulsion of the placenta by manual, instrumental, or surgical means

Legal Definition

delivery

noun
de·​liv·​ery
plural deliveries
: an act that shows a transferor's intent to make a transfer of property (as a gift)
especially : the transfer of possession or exclusive control of property to another
actual delivery
: a delivery (as by hand or shipment) of actual physical property (as jewelry or stock certificates)
conditional delivery
: a delivery after which ownership will be transferred upon fulfillment of a condition compare gift causa mortis at gift

Note: A conditional delivery is usually made in order to make a transfer revocable.

constructive delivery
: a delivery of a representation of property (as a written instrument) or means of possession (as a key) that is construed by a court as sufficient to show the transferor's intent or to put the property under the transferee's control

called also symbolic delivery

More from Merriam-Webster on delivery

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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