inbox

American  

[in-boks] / ˈɪnˌbɒks /

Or in-box

noun

1. a boxlike tray, basket, or the like, as on a desk, for holding incoming mail, messages, or work.

2. Computers. a folder for receiving and storing incoming emails or text messages.

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inbox British  

/ ˈɪnˌbɒks /

noun

1. (on a computer) a folder in a mailbox in which incoming messages are stored and displayed

2. a US and Canadian name for in-tray

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Etymology

Origin of inbox

First recorded in 1955–60; in ( def. ) + box ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

On Feb. 10, 2025, at 7:32 a.m., the dreaded email hit my inbox.

From Slate • Apr. 20, 2026

Okay, the eighth email in your inbox is from Priscilla again, sent on February 26th, 2026.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

You can sign up here to have the Need to Know newsletter waiting in your inbox each morning.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026

Sign up for the Surge, the newsletter that covers the most important political nonsense of the week, delivered to your inbox every Saturday.

From Slate • Apr. 4, 2026

The codes arrived in my inbox a few minutes after the auction ended.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline