mail

UK: /ˈmeɪl/ US: /meɪl/ ,(māl)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

mail¹ /meɪl/   n. 

1. letters, etc., sent or delivered by the postal service:
   [uncountable] The mail is sorted electronically.
2. a single collection or delivery of such postal matter:
   [uncountable] Was there mail today?
3. Also, mails. the system for sending or delivering such postal matter: [countable; usually singular]
   The mail is very slow in this area.
   [plural]
   The mails are slow in this area.
   [uncountable* by + ~]
   It came by mail last week.

adj. [before a noun]

4. of or relating to mail.

v. 

5. to send by mail: [~ + object]
   Mail the package tomorrow.
   [~ + object + to + object]
   Mail your complaint to me.
   [~ + object + object]
   Mail me the proposal.

mail² /meɪl/   n. [uncountable]

1. Heraldry flexible armor of metal rings or plates.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

mail¹  (māl), n. 

1. letters, packages, etc., that are sent or delivered by means of the postal system:
   Storms delayed delivery of the mail.
2. a single collection of such letters, packages, etc., as sent or delivered:
   to open one's mail;
   to find a bill in the mail;
   The mail for England was put on the noon plane.
3. Also, mails. the system, usually operated or supervised by the national government, for sending or delivering letters, packages, etc.;
   postal system:
   to buy clothes by mail.
4. a train, boat, etc., as a carrier of postal matter.
5. electronic mail;
   e-mail.
6. Idioms, Radio and Television copy the mail, [CB Slang.] to monitor or listen to a CB transmission.

adj. 

7. of or pertaining to mail.

v.t. 

8. to send by mail;
   place in a post office or mailbox for transmission.
9. to transmit by electronic mail.

• Gmc; compare Old High German mal(a)ha satchel, bag
• Old French malle
• Middle English male (noun, nominal) 1175–1225

mail²  (māl), n. 

1. flexible armor of interlinked rings.
2. Heraldry any flexible armor or covering, as one having a protective exterior of scales or small plates.
3. Textiles an oval piece of metal pierced with a hole through which the warp ends are threaded, serving as an eyelet on a heddle or esp. on the harness cords of a Jacquard loom.

v.t. 

4. to clothe or arm with mail.

• Latin macula spot, one of the interstices in a net; compare macula
• Old French
• Middle English maille one of the rings of which armor was composed 1250–1300

mail′less, adj. 

mail³  (māl), n. [Scot.]

1. monetary payment or tribute, esp. rent or tax.

Also, maill. 

• Old Norse māl agreement, speech, cognate with Old English mǣl speech
• Middle English (north) mal(e), late Old English māl agreement bef. 1150

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

mail / meɪl/ noun

1. Also called (esp Brit): post letters, packages, etc, that are transported and delivered by the post office
2. the postal system
3. a single collection or delivery of mail
4. a train, ship, or aircraft that carries mail
5. short for electronic mail
6. (modifier) of, involving, or used to convey mail: a mail train

verb (transitive)

1. to send by mail
   Usual Brit word: post
2. to contact (a person) by electronic mail
3. to send (a message, document, etc) by electronic mail

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French male bag, probably from Old High German malha wallet

ˈmailable adjective

mail / meɪl/ noun

1. a type of flexible armour consisting of riveted metal rings or links
2. the hard protective shell of such animals as the turtle and lobster

verb

1. (transitive) to clothe or arm with mail

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French maille mesh, from Latin macula spot