email

1 of 2

noun

variants or e-mail
1
: a means or system for transmitting messages electronically (as between computers on a network)
communicating by email
2
a
: messages sent and received electronically through an email system
receives a lot of email
b
plural emails or e-mails : an email message
sent him an email

email

2 of 2

verb

variants or e-mail
emailed or e-mailed; emailing or e-mailing; emails or e-mails

transitive verb

1
: to send email to (someone)
She emailed her mom.
2
: to send (something) by email
I'll email the documents tomorrow.

intransitive verb

: to communicate by email
As I write this, a colleague who takes an amateur interest in tracking the weather emailed to say it would be "among the hottest days of 2019 so far, if not #1."Nina Metz

Examples of email in a Sentence

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.
Noun
Now, regardless of the severity of the violation, any license revocations must be approved by a string of senior leaders, internal ATF emails obtained by CNN show. Allison Gordon, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2025 Margolies disclosed Shin’s departure through an email Wednesday to Bergdorf’s brand partners, a copy of which was attained by WWD. David Moin, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
Sign up here to get a link emailed to you closer to the date. NPR, 21 Oct. 2025 Maria Matthews, the director of the Division of Elections, emailed all county elections supervisors earlier this month, saying that the forms that had been mailed to voters should be invalidated. Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for email

Word History

Etymology

Noun

electronic mail

First Known Use

Noun

1979, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1983, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of email was in 1979

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Email.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/email. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

email

noun
variants or e-mail
ˈē-ˌmāl
1
: a system for sending messages between computers
2
a
: messages sent through an email system
receives a lot of email
b
: an email message
sent him an email
email verb
or e-mail
emailer
-ˌmāl-ər
noun
or e-mailer

More from Merriam-Webster on email

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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