What does "postage" mean?

1. (the cost of mailing) the amount of money you pay to send a letter or a package. 2. (the postal system) the system or service used for sending and delivering mail. 3. (stamps or marks) the stamps or printed marks on an envelope that show you have paid.

How do you use "postage"?

Often used as an uncountable noun when referring to the general cost.

postage

US //ˈpoʊstədʒ// UK //pˈəʊstɪdʒ// postage

1 the cost of mailing (n.)
B1 Intermediate

the amount of money you pay to send a letter or a package.

the fee or charge required for the delivery of an item by a postal service.

Example

How much is the postage for this heavy box to Australia?

Example

The online retailer offers free delivery on orders over fifty pounds, provided the total postage costs do not exceed a certain threshold.

Usage

Often used as an uncountable noun when referring to the general cost.
- shipping
- delivery fee
2 the postal system (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

the system or service used for sending and delivering mail.

the institutional system or process of transporting and delivering letters and parcels.

Example

The document was lost in the postage and never arrived at the office.

Example

Despite the rise of digital communication, the national postage remains a vital infrastructure for the distribution of physical goods and official documents.
- mail
- postal service

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3 stamps or marks (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

the stamps or printed marks on an envelope that show you have paid.

the physical evidence of payment affixed to a piece of mail, such as a stamp or a franking mark.

Example

Check that the envelope has the correct postage before you drop it in the box.

Example

The collector was particularly interested in the rare Victorian postage visible on the corner of the weathered envelope.
- stamps
- franking

Origin

From post + -age.