English Reference
Word adjective

mailed

adj.
US /ˈmeɪɫd/ UK /mˈeɪld/ mailed
Definition
  1. 01 C2 Proficiency ArchaicLiterary

    wearing armor made of small metal rings or scales.

    clad in or protected by chainmail or similar flexible metal armor.

    Simple

    “The mailed knight rode his horse into the castle courtyard.”

    In context

    “The mailed fist of the conqueror became a symbol of the harsh military rule that followed the invasion.”

    Teacher's tip

    This sense is almost exclusively found in historical fiction or fantasy literature; modern speakers use 'armored' for general protection.

    Synonyms
    armoredprotected
    Antonyms
    unarmedunprotected
Etymology
Etymology 1

From mail (“send by post”).

Etymology 2

From Middle English mayled; equivalent to mail (“chainmail; spot on a bird's feather”) + -ed.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level A2 · Elementary
Frequency Frequent
Updated