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Glite Dictionary
postal code

postal code

2 1.7
A short set of letters and numbers added to an address to help deliver mail
  • noun
  • /ˈpoʊstəl koʊd/
  • South African
translation icon : código postal
  • To receive your package on time, please include your postal code in the address.
  • dealer postal code
  • customer postal code
  • postal code difference

All I need is a postal code, and I will find you.

Examples

  • The Dealer and Customer tables contain postal codes, and the ReferralToDealer table designates the dealers to which customers were referred.

    Academic text (2001)

  • The postal code helps the post office sort mail more efficiently.

  • All I need is a postal code, and I will find you.

    Vusi Thembekwayo

  • What to look for: Name, date of birth, race, gender, postal code.

    Academic text (2002)

  • I will read out a postal code and a clue on where this location is.

  • Show me sales of each of the four vendors based on postal code.

    Blog text (20)

  • Leave the shipping date as the 24th and enter your destination country and postal code.

    Blog text (28)

  • For each referral, determine the difference between the customer's and dealer's postal codes.

    Academic text (2001)

  • Choice 3 remedies the defect of the postal code scheme and is least likely to require future modifications.

    Academic text (2001)

  • The discrepancy field of the table shows whether the postal codes of the referred and closest dealers are identical.

    Academic text (2001)

Synonyms

ZIP
vspostal code
  • US
65 1.8

A code of numbers and letters added to a United States address to help deliver mail

is the same system but named more generally for worldwide use
ZIP code
vspostal code
  • US
35 1.6

A group of numbers used in a United States postal address to sort mail

is the general term for these address codes worldwide
postcode
vspostal code
  • UK
2 1.4

A group of letters and numbers that is part of an address to help mail delivery

is the general name for such codes across countries

Surface Forms

postal code singular
postal codes plural

Morphology

postal + code

The meaning is directly compositional: 'postal' (relating to mail delivery) combined with 'code' (an identifying label) naturally yields a code used in postal addresses for sorting and delivery. This is a common, cross-linguistic compound (e.g., French 'code postal', Spanish 'código postal'), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the meaning.

Etymology

The term postal code comes from the simple idea of adding a postal 'mail' code 'short set of letters or numbers' to an address. Imagine a small code at the end of your address that lets post workers and machines sort and send letters and packages quickly, so postal code means 'a code added to an address to help the mail be delivered to the right place'.