airmail
UK[ˈeəmeɪl]US[ˈermeɪl]
n
The system of sending letters and parcels by aircraft.
n
Letters or parcels sent by aircraft.
v
To send a letter or parcel by aircraft.
Morpheme Breakdown
air
mail
air
atmosphere
mail
postal system
Etymology
The word 'airmail' is a transparent 20th-century compound, created to specify a new method of postal delivery. Its first element, 'air', traces back to the Greek 'aēr', meaning the lower atmosphere, which passed into Latin and then French before entering English. The second element, 'mail', has a more terrestrial origin, evolving from the Old French term for a traveling bag or pack used to carry correspondence. The fusion of these two morphemes logically and directly describes the system of transporting postal items through the air, a service that became practical with the advent of powered flight.
Analysis
Structure: air (atmosphere) + mail (postal system)
- air: From Old French 'air', Latin 'āēr', Greek 'aēr' (air, atmosphere). In this compound, it denotes the medium or method of transport.
- mail: From Old French 'male' (wallet, bag), referring to a traveling bag for letters. It signifies the postal system or items being sent.
Examples
Before email was common, urgent documents were often sent by airmail.
The postage for an airmail letter to another continent is more expensive.
Please airmail this package to ensure it arrives within three days.