What does transmittal mean?
Transmittal is a formal noun meaning the act of sending or forwarding something, especially documents, plans, reports, or other materials. It is widely used in engineering, construction, procurement, and project administration, where a transmittal may be a formal letter, form, package, or record that accompanies a delivery and identifies its contents. The word also has a slightly more abstract use for the transmission of a message or the sending of a document. In professional contexts, transmittal suggests organization, accountability, and a clear chain of communication: it tells the recipient what is being sent, when it was sent, and sometimes what action is expected. Although understood in British and American English, it sounds distinctly formal and technical. In less specialized settings, phrases such as sending, forwarding, or delivery are generally preferable.
nounThe act or process of transmitting or sending something. In technical, business, and administrative contexts, it may also refer to a document, package, or formal message accompanying material being sent.
- The act or process of transmitting, sending, or forwarding something.
- A document, message, or package formally sent to accompany or identify other material being delivered.
"The contractor submitted a transmittal containing the revised drawings and the updated cost schedule."
"The final report was sent to the client in a formal transmittal."
"The transmittal listed every drawing included in the engineer's package."
The plural is used for separate documents, packages, or formal instances of sending material.
"The project manager approved all three transmittals before the equipment was shipped."
A transmittal is the professional cover note that tells the recipient what has been sent and what should happen next.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does transmittal come from?
Transmittal belongs to the English word family based on transmit, which was borrowed from Latin transmittere, formed from trans- (“across”) and mittere (“send”). The noun transmittal developed in early modern English from transmit with the suffix -al, initially in the sense of sending or transmission. Over time, it came to be used for the document or package sent with other material, especially in technical and administrative communication.
How transmittal is actually used
The word is formal and especially common in engineering, construction, procurement, project administration, and legal or business correspondence. In ordinary conversation, sending or sending off is usually more natural.
Easily confused with transmittal
A transmission is the process of sending a signal or message, whereas a transmittal can be either that process or the formal document accompanying a delivery.