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Glite Dictionary
postmistress

postmistress

1 7.0
A woman who runs a post office
  • noun
  • /ˈpoʊstˌmɪstrəs/
  • Archaic
translation icon : jefa de correos
  • The postmistress greeted every customer with a warm smile as they entered the post office.
  • the postmistress told
  • the postmistress said
  • village postmistress

Examples

  • She was postmistress of Lincoln County during the Civil War, and her desk was the post office.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • The postmistress in the village, as well as others, became aware of the string of visitors that she turned away from her door.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • The postmistress could vouch that there had been letters, probably warning her of their coming.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • At thirty-three, she was the youngest postmistress Crozet had ever had, but then no one else really wanted the job.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • The postmistress was very open about all her observations and shameless in her speculations.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • As the postmistress, she was responsible for overseeing all mail deliveries in the small town.

  • The local postmistress organized community events to raise awareness about postal services.

Synonyms

postmaster
vspostmistress
18 4.2

A person who runs a post office

is the female-specific term for that office leader

Surface Forms

postmistress singular
postmistresses plural

Morphology

postmistress = post + mistress (transparent) = post + mistress

Meaning is directly deducible from 'post' (mail) + 'mistress' (female person in charge), matching learners' expectations for occupational compounds.

Etymology

The word postmistress comes from post 'mail' and mistress, the female form of 'master' as in actress or waitress. So a postmistress is a woman who is in charge of a post office.