adj
postal
POHSTL
adj
1
Having to do with the mail system — collecting, sorting, and delivering letters and parcels.
"You can check delivery times on the postal service's website."
"Our postal address hasn't changed even though we moved offices."
2
(informal) Extremely angry or out of control; "going postal" means having a violent outburst.
"He went postal when he saw the damage to his car."
How to Use Postal
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishRelating to the mail system — or, informally, snapping with rage.
When to use it
The 'go postal' meaning is slang and comes from a string of 1980s-90s workplace incidents involving postal workers; use it carefully as it references real violence.
Common pairings
postal service
postal code
postal worker
go postal
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You can check delivery times on the _____ service's website.
Etymology
From post (mail) plus -al, shaped on the same pattern as the French word postal.