snail mail

noun

1

informal : mail delivered by a postal system especially when contrasted with email : mail sense 1a

I avoid using e-mail to complain. I use the phone or old-fashioned snail mail.

—Arlene Silverman

2

informal : a nation's postal system : mail sense 2

The others have taken the traditional route: sending checks by snail mail.

—Stephen Gandel

Synonyms

• correspondence
• mail
• matter
• parcel post
• post [chiefly British]

Examples of snail mail in a Sentence

She still uses snail mail for paying bills.

I can be contacted by e-mail and snail mail.

Recent Examples on the Web

Hundreds of people reached out to me and my mom—a single parent—with words of encouragement, whether through a text message or a heartfelt card sent via snail mail. —Stella Shon, Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2024

But snail mail isn’t reliable transport for this special treat. —Deanne Revel, Southern Living, 25 Nov. 2024

Be wary of mailbox communications: Bad actors may also try to scam you through snail mail. —Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 14 Sep. 2024

Workers aged 60 and older who do not have online accounts can still receive hard-copy statements via snail mail. —David Rae, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1982, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

snail mail

noun

informal

1

: mail delivered by a postal system

2

: mail entry 1 sense 4