postage franking
- noun
:
franqueo
- All outgoing letters must have the correct postage franking visible on the envelope.
Examples
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The lack of postage franking caused the mail to be returned to the sender.
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The envelope had a postage franking that indicated it was paid.
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She collected envelopes with rare postage franking from different countries.
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I saw several postage frankings on the packages at the post office.
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To ensure your letter is delivered, make sure the postage franking is clearly visible on the envelope.
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The historical museum featured a display of vintage letters, showcasing unique postage franking from various decades.
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Without proper postage franking, the package will not be accepted for delivery by the postal service.
Synonyms
15
2.3
A small paper stamp you put on a letter to show you paid to send it
12
1.0
A small printed sticker you put on a letter to show you paid to send it
1
8.4
A mark or label on mail that shows postage has been paid
A printed mark on mail that shows postage has been paid
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly derivable from combining 'postage' (payment for sending mail) with 'franking' (a marking or stamp showing postage has been paid): together they denote the stamps/markings indicating postage and acceptance. It is a technical but compositional noun–noun phrase following regular modification patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both words should be able to infer the meaning.
Etymology
Postage franking comes from the simple image of a visible mark on a letter: postage is the cost to send mail and franking is the stamp or official mark on the envelope. That stamp shows the letter is 'paid' and will be 'accepted' by the postal service, so today postage franking means the stamps or markings that show payment and acceptance.