Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
postboy

postboy

9.3
A boy who rode a horse to deliver mail in the past
  • noun
  • /ˈpoʊstˌbɔɪ/
  • Archaic
translation icon : cartero
  • When the village needed urgent messages sent, they always called the postboy to deliver them.

Examples

  • The postboy rode swiftly through the streets to deliver the letters before sunset.

  • I recognized the postboy and the horses.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • Postboys and ostlers might remember her.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • In olden times, the postboy was a familiar sight, galloping on horseback with a satchel of mail.

Synonyms

mailman
vspostboy
  • US
96 1.0

A person who delivers letters and packages to people's homes and businesses

is focused on young male workers or historical riding and coach delivery
courier
vspostboy
94 3.8

A person who carries and delivers messages or packages

is narrower, naming a young male who specifically delivered mail historically
postman
vspostboy
  • UK
38 1.0

A person who delivers letters and parcels to homes and businesses

is specifically a young male worker, often in historical delivery contexts
delivery boy
vspostboy
  • Informal
26 2.2

A young man who delivers food and packages to homes by bicycle or motorbike

delivers mail specifically and may also imply historical riding or coach guiding
errand boy
vspostboy
17 3.2

A young person paid to do small tasks such as delivering messages and packages

is specifically a young mail deliverer, sometimes with historical riding or coach roles
mail carrier
vspostboy
  • US
7 2.0

A person who delivers letters and packages to homes and businesses

highlights youth and historical modes of delivery rather than the general job
messenger boy
vspostboy
  • Archaic
6 2.3

A boy who delivers messages and does small jobs for a business

implies delivering mail specifically and can include historical mounted or coach duties
deliveryman
vspostboy
5 1.4

A person who brings packages or food to people's homes

centres on mail delivery and often on young male or historical delivery methods
letter carrier
vspostboy
  • US
4 2.3

A person who delivers mail and packages to homes and shops

refers more to a young male or historical messenger role rather than general official work
deliverer
vspostboy
1 2.7

A person who brings packages to homes or businesses

is about delivering mail specifically and often denotes a young male worker
postie
vspostboy
  • Australian
1 8.4

A person who delivers letters and parcels to homes and shops

is the more specific term for a young male or historical postal messenger
mailwoman
vspostboy
  • US
1 2.0

A woman who delivers letters and packages to homes and businesses

refers instead to young male workers or historical delivery by horse or coach
postwoman
vspostboy
  • UK
2.1

A woman who delivers letters and packages to homes and shops

focuses on young male or historical delivery roles rather than a female worker

Surface Forms

postboy singular
postboys plural

Morphology

postboy = post + boy (transparent) = post + boy

Clear compound of 'post' (mail) + 'boy' (young male), directly meaning a young person who delivers mail.

Etymology

The word postboy is made of post and boy, where post once meant the official 'mail route' or 'place to change horses', so a postboy was a young man who rode or guided the mail between those stops. That's why postboy means a young man who delivered mail in the past.