zip code

1 of 2

noun

variants or less commonly ZIP code

plural zip codes also ZIP codes

1

: a number that identifies a particular postal delivery area in the U.S.

2

: the geographic area identified by a zip code

zip-code

2 of 2

verb

ˈzip-ˌkōd 

zip-coded; zip-coding; zip-codes

transitive verb

: to furnish with a zip code

Examples of zip code in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

About 48% of de minimis packages shipped to the poorest zip codes in the United States, while 22% were delivered to the richest ones, according to February research from UCLA and Yale economists. —Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 14 May 2025

Save for a few ZIP codes in Miami-Dade County, condo home values experienced a significant drop from March 2024 to March 2025, with some areas seeing a drop by nearly 20%. —Abigail Hasebroock, Sun Sentinel, 7 May 2025

Verb

Gilbert provides a unique blend of exclusivity, privacy and proximity to everything the Valley has to offer, but without the zip-code premium that comes with other luxury neighborhoods. —Catherine Dunwoody, Forbes, 23 Nov. 2024

Socioeconomic status is one factor that can limit a child’s access to the arts, but things like race and zip-code can play a role as well. —Michelle Aslam, Dallas News, 10 Mar. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun

zone improvement plan

First Known Use

Noun

1962, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1962, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for zip code

• abode
• anode
• barcode
• bestowed
• boatload
• borrowed
• carload
• caseload
• cathode
• commode
• corrode
• crossroad

Kids Definition

zip code

noun

: a number that identifies each postal delivery area in the U.S.