/meɪl/noun
A system for sending letters and parcels, or a protective armor made of interlinked metal rings.
Did you know?The armor sense of mail comes from an Old French word for “mesh” or “net,” while the letter-sending sense comes from a completely different Germanic word meaning “bag” or “travelling bag.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*mala-
“bag, pouch, or traveling sack”
Old English
OE
mǣl
“bag, pack, or measure-related term in early Germanic usage”
Middle English
English
male
“a bag or mailbag used for carrying letters”
Old French
OF
maille
“a mesh, ring, or link, especially in chain armor”
Middle English
English
“chain armor made of interlinked rings”
Modern English
English
“letters and parcels sent through a postal system, or chain armor”