email

or e-mail

[ ee-meyl ]

noun

1. a system for sending messages to one or more recipients via telecommunications links between computers using dedicated software or a web-based service:

   Communication by email is almost instantaneous.

2. a message sent by email:

   Send me an email about that idea, and I'll get back to you.

3. an address at which a person can receive email messages:

   He’s got my phone number and email in case he needs to contact me.

verb (used with object)

1. to send (a message or file) to (a person or organization) by email: I emailed the company but haven’t heard back yet.

   He emailed his response to the invitation.

   I emailed the company but haven’t heard back yet.

verb (used without object)

1. to send an email; communicate by email or exchange emails: We emailed back and forth for three weeks before actually meeting.

   She emailed to say she’ll be on vacation next week.

   We emailed back and forth for three weeks before actually meeting.

Word History and Origins

Origin of email¹

First recorded in 1975–80; e(lectronic) + mail ¹

Example Sentences

This URL can then be posted on social media, or sent in a text message, email or anywhere else.

From TechCrunch

Patrick Henry principal Michelle Irwin did not answer Voice of San Diego’s questions but sent an email to cheer families Tuesday night indicating the coaches were out.

From Voice of San Diego

The series will go out via email each Friday through this calendar year and can also be found on the Folger website.

From Washington Blade

The journalist who broke the NSA domestic spying story has told a Brazilian news program that emails from both leaders were being intercepted.

From MIT Technology Review

It might be quicker for you to find apps, emails or websites this way.

From Popular-Science

But the tide was turning on this issue, an email from another constituent made clear.

From The Daily Beast

In an email exchange a friend said many had repeated this same succinct review but they could never elaborate.

From The Daily Beast

The email appears to have been a relatively common attempt to gain personal information from a wide range of unwitting victims.

From The Daily Beast

Yet the email references the 1970s, “when police officers were ambushed and executed on a regular basis.”

From The Daily Beast

She adds that they continued to email, but “finally, in so many words, he declined to be interviewed.”

From The Daily Beast

You might be wondering at this point what dark secrets I had locked away on my phone and memory sticks and email.

From Project Gutenberg

On it, in huge white luminous letters, were her public key and her fingerprint and email address.

From Project Gutenberg

The latest message was from a throwaway email address from one of the new Brazilian anonymizers.

From Project Gutenberg

We run IM and email and we use the browser in a million diverse ways.

From Project Gutenberg

Wait until a new email arrives and count the words that appear in it.

From Project Gutenberg