What does postage mean?
Postage is the money paid to a postal service for carrying letters, cards, parcels, and other items. It is most commonly associated with the fee shown on stamps and postage labels, and phrases such as "postage due" and "prepaid postage" describe whether that fee still needs to be paid or has already been settled. In everyday British and American English, postage usually refers specifically to charges for mail, while the broader term "shipping" is often preferred for parcels and freight. The word can also mean the stamps or labels themselves. Historically, many postal systems allowed recipients to pay the fee after delivery; the introduction of adhesive postage stamps in the nineteenth century made advance payment increasingly common. Understanding postage is useful in both practical contexts, such as mailing a letter, and historical ones, because it reflects changing systems for organizing and financing public communication.
nounThe charge or fee paid for the carriage of mail or other items through a postal service. It can also refer to the postage stamps or labels used to pay that fee.
- The fee charged for the carriage of mail or other items through a postal service.
"She attached sufficient postage to the parcel before posting it."
"The postage for the letter increased at the beginning of the year."
"The parcel was returned because it did not have enough postage."
Usually singular and uncountable in modern usage; the plural is uncommon but can occur in formal or specialized contexts.
"The postal service revised its postages for international mail."
Before postage stamps were introduced, many people did not pay for mail in advance; instead, they paid the postal service when the letter arrived.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does postage come from?
Postage entered English through French postage, which was derived from poste, meaning a post or postal service. French poste ultimately came from Latin posta, a feminine form of positus, meaning placed or set. The English word developed in the context of organized postal systems and became closely associated with the prepaid stamps and labels used to settle mailing charges.
How postage is actually used
Postage is normally used as an uncountable noun. The plural form is uncommon, although it appears in formal or technical contexts, especially in relation to different postal rates.
Easily confused with postage
Postage is the fee charged for sending mail, whereas post can mean the mail itself, a postal service, or a position or message published online.