noun · verb
Simple meaning
Any particular collection of letters or packages that is delivered.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
maylIPA pronunciation (US)
ˈmeɪl
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
Any particular collection of letters or packages that is delivered
“Your mail is on the table.”
A bag containing letters to be delivered by post.
A conveyance that transports the letters and packages that are conveyed by the postal system
The bags of letters and packages that are transported by the postal service
The (physical) material conveyed by the postal service.
chiefly usuncountable
The letters, parcels, etc. delivered to a particular address or person.
verb
transitive
To pinion.
transitive
To contact (a person) by electronic mail.
transitive
To arm with mail.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- A1 · Beginner
- Frequency
- Very Common
- Typical Use
- Varies by meaning
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: Any particular collection of letters or packages that is delivered
Used this way, mail is a common word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
“Your mail is on the table.”
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- Matter-of-fact
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use mail
- “Your mail is on the table.”noun
- “The mail handles billions of items every day.”noun
- “I'll mail you the check tomorrow.”verb
Share your sentence
Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Inflected forms
Grammatical variations of the same word.
Mail sent by a sender at one time.
United States writer (born in 1923).
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
Transmit by mail.
Pouch used in the shipment of mail.
The system whereby messages are transmitted via the post office.
A slot (usually in a door) through which mail can be delivered.
A train that carries mail.
The address where a person or organization can be communicated with.
Related words
Connected by subject or meaning, not by word formation.
A man who delivers the mail.
A private box for delivery of mail.
Pouch used in the shipment of mail.
A letter sent by air mail.
Related Words
Connected to the same idea, not synonyms.
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: any particular collection of letters
Use This Word
See how this word sounds in a real sentence.
Ask Vocabaura
Understand the word your way.
What Does It Mean Here?
Words can change meaning depending on context.
Use it yourself
Keep learning “mail” by choosing the kind of practice you need next.
- Practice sentence writingWrite sentences with vocabulary and get instant feedback.
- Practice in contextAnswer short vocabulary questions drawn from real situations.
- Review vocabularyTest your recall and strengthen words over time.
- Practice typingType vocabulary from meanings, examples and other prompts.
Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.