What does mailed mean?
Mailed is an English word used chiefly as an adjective and as the past tense or past participle of the verb mail. As an adjective, it describes something sent through the postal system or transmitted electronically, such as a mailed letter, application, or ballot. In its verbal use, it means that someone has sent an item, especially a letter or package, by post, although electronic messages and attachments are also described as mailed. The word is common in administrative, legal, business, and election-related contexts, where it indicates that a document has been dispatched or submitted in the required manner. “Mailed” can also appear in compounds and phrases such as “mailed-in vote,” particularly in North America. Its meaning is broadly practical: it identifies an item or act as having been sent, without specifying whether the method was physical postage or electronic delivery.
Sent by post or electronic mail, especially as a completed or physical item.
"The committee will review every mailed submission before the meeting."
Often used in formal or administrative contexts, including “mailed ballot” and “mailed-in vote.”
Past tense and past participle of mail: to send something by post or electronic mail.
"They mailed the documents to the regional office last week."
In contemporary usage, electronic messages and attachments can also be described as mailed.
A mailed form may travel through a postal box, while a mailed attachment can cross the world instantly through electronic mail.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does mailed come from?
Mailed was formed by adding the English past-participle ending -ed to mail. The word mail developed in Middle English from Old English māl, meaning “bag” or “pack,” and its modern sense for postal material developed through the use of the word for letters and other items sent through the postal system. Words such as mailbox, mailbag, and mailman share this English postal root.
Related word forms
How mailed is actually used
The adjective is common in formal and administrative contexts, while the verb form is ordinary in both formal and informal English. The phrase “mailed-in vote” is especially associated with elections in the United States and Canada.