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Glite Dictionary
✈️ Luxury travel 🛋️ In luxury 📬 Priority mail 🏅 Top rank
first class

first class

9 2.2
A mail service that gives letters and small packages faster delivery
  • noun
  • /fɜrst klæs/
translation icon : correo de primera clase
  • Be sure to include sufficient first-class postage so that I can return your images.
  • first-class mail

Examples

  • In his state, defendants can receive notice of process by first-class mail or a process server at their home or workplace.

    Academic text (2011)

  • We sent these materials through first-class mail to all of the panelists by the end of autumn.

    Academic text (1997)

  • Next to the scripts was a pile of letters, first class, no bills.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • For example, in Hawaii, any solicitation by e-mail is problematic; state bar rules mandate that all solicitations be sent by first-class mail.

    Academic text (2006)

  • The documents were stapled together in a fixed order to be returned to the researcher by first-class mail in a stamped, addressed envelope provided by the researchers.

    Academic text (1996)

  • You need to affix a stamp when mailing a first class letter to ensure it arrives quickly.

  • Sending documents via first class mail guarantees priority handling and faster delivery.

  • She chose to send her application through first class mail for timely processing.

Synonyms

first-class mail
vsfirst class
  • Formal
1 2.2

A fast mail service for letters and small packages that is delivered before other mail

is the same meaning but uses the full-word written form instead of numeric
1st-class mail
vsfirst class
1.8

A fast mail service for letters and postcards that gets priority delivery

is identical in meaning but written in a different numeric and punctuation form
1st class
vsfirst class
2.9

Mail handled first and sent faster, like letters or postcards

is the same meaning but uses a shorter numeric form without hyphen

Antonyms

third class
  • Archaic
5.3

Mail sent at a lower price, usually for advertising flyers

bulk mail
  • Specialized
3.2

Mail sent by post in large amounts to many people, often ads or flyers

How Fast

to overnight
5 3.2
express mail
1 2.8
first class
9 2.2

Surface Forms

first class singular
first classes plural

Morphology

first + class

The meaning 'the highest rank or grade' is directly and compositionally derived from 'first' (preceding/all-important) + 'class' (a category or rank). This adj+noun grading pattern is cross-linguistically common and follows normal English composition, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

First class The noun first class for mail comes from post offices that sorted letters into class groups and sent the first group before the others. So first class mail meant 'priority' and faster delivery.