mail

1 of 4

noun (1)

often attributive
1
a
: material (such as letters and packages) sent or carried in a postal system
sorting through the mail
also : similar material distributed within an organization
interoffice mail
c
: a conveyance that transports mail
2
: a nation's postal system
a letter sent through the mail
often used in plural
packages sent through the mails
3
chiefly Scotland : bag, wallet

mail

2 of 4

verb

mailed; mailing; mails

transitive verb

: to send by mail : post entry 4
mailability noun
mailable adjective

mail

3 of 4

noun (2)

1
: armor made of metal links or sometimes plates
2
: a hard enclosing covering of an animal (such as a tortoise)
mailed adjective

mail

4 of 4

noun (3)

chiefly Scotland

Examples of mail in a Sentence

Verb if you don't mail that letter soon, it's going to arrive late
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
In 2024, 46 states will offer early, in-person voting, and 36 will offer the option to vote by mail without having to cite a reason. Benjamin Oreskes, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024 Arizona state Senate President Warren Peterson, standing alongside Lake at Tuesday's election party, and likely well aware that upwards of 70% of Arizonans vote by mail, was quick to chime in. Libby Cathey, ABC News, 20 Mar. 2024 When a voter mails back or drops off their early ballot before election day, officials have time to take it through that process before the first round of results drops on election night. Sasha Hupka, The Arizona Republic, 19 Mar. 2024 Applications sent by mail must be received no later than Election Day. Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2024 Deadline to register to vote online or via mail is March 13 Voto Latino, which did not respond to an inquiry for this PolitiFact, seems to be referring to the deadline to register to vote online or by mail. Journal Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2024 How Michigan votes Michigan voters have the option of voting by mail, in person on Election Day or early in-person. Ashley Lopez, NPR, 27 Feb. 2024 Watchdog agency audit of USPS response to mail thefts As complaints of mail theft mount across the nation, a Postal Service watchdog agency in part blamed the agency's procedures in an audit report released Sept. 28, 2023. Minnah Arshad, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024 Unfortunately, first-time passport applications can’t be processed by mail, so an in-person appointment (typically at a local post office) is necessary to obtain your document. Jared Ranahan, Travel + Leisure, 23 Feb. 2024
Verb
Chadwick currently is the CFO of the shipping and mailing company Pitney Bowes and will stay on as advisor until April 21, with John Witek appointed interim CFO. Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 22 Mar. 2024 Hyundai will mail out owner notification letters on May 14, 2024, but owners can also call the manufacturer's customer service line at 1-855-371-9460. Sarah Al-Arshani, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2024 Two days later, Paul mailed the eagle feather set from near the reservation to Texas. Ben Brasch, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2024 Checks will be mailed automatically and should arrive within the next two weeks. Anne Marie Lee, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2024 Cybercriminals manipulated the computer system of the Texas Department of Public Safety to obtain thousands of driver’s licenses destined for Asian Americans, tricking authorities into mailing the licenses to marijuana farms in neighboring Oklahoma. Sebastian Rotella, ProPublica, 14 Mar. 2024 The transcript would be mailed to the address the IRS has on file for you. Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press, 12 Mar. 2024 When mailing ballots, remember they must be postmarked by Election Day and received no later than seven days after Election Day, according to the California Secretary of State. Brianna Taylor, Sacramento Bee, 5 Mar. 2024 Tickets can also be signed and mailed to: Prizes P.O. Box 777 Madison, WI 53774 For prizes exceeding $200,000: Prizes must be claimed in-person at the Wisconsin Lottery office in Madison. Drew Dawson, Journal Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English male, from Anglo-French, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German malaha bag

Noun (2)

Middle English maille metal link, mail, from Anglo-French, from Latin macula spot, mesh

Noun (3)

Middle English male, maille, from Old English māl agreement, pay, from Old Norse māl speech, agreement; akin to Old English mǣl speech

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Verb

1827, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (3)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mail was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near mail

Cite this Entry

“Mail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mail. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

mail

1 of 3 noun
1
: letters or parcels sent from one person to another especially through the post office
2
: something that comes in the mail and especially in a single delivery
3
: a vehicle (as a train, truck, or boat) that carries mail
4
: the system used in the public sending and delivery of letters and parcels
do business by mail
5

mail

2 of 3 verb
: to send by mail : post
mailable
ˈmā-lə-bəl
adjective
mailer noun

mail

3 of 3 noun
: armor made of small metal links or sometimes plates
a coat of mail
mailed
ˈmā(ə)ld
adjective
Etymology

Noun

Middle English male "a wallet or traveling bag," from early French male (same meaning); of Germanic origin

Noun

Middle English maille "metal plates used on armor," from early French maille (same meaning), derived from Latin macula "spot, mesh of a net"

More from Merriam-Webster on mail

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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