e-mailed
UK[ˈiːmeɪld]US[ˈiːmeɪld]
v
(past tense and past participle of email) To have sent an electronic message to someone via the internet.
Morpheme Breakdown
e
mail
ed
e
electronic
mail
postal system
ed
past tense suffix
Etymology
The word "e-mailed" is a modern, regular inflection of the verb "email," which itself is a compound formed in the late 20th century. The first element, "e-," is a ubiquitous abbreviation for "electronic," adapted from computing terminology. The second element, "mail," has a long history, originating from the Old French "male" for a traveling bag, which evolved to mean the system for transporting correspondence. The combination "email" thus literally means "electronic mail," and the addition of the common Germanic past-tense suffix "-ed" follows standard English verb conjugation rules, creating a word that perfectly encapsulates a routine digital-age action.
Analysis
Structure: e (electronic) + mail (postal system) + ed (past tense suffix)
e: English, a prefix meaning "electronic," a modern functional abbreviation.
mail: Middle English, from Old French "male" (wallet, bag), referring to a system for transporting letters and packages. In this compound, it denotes a message system.
ed: Old English, a suffix forming the past tense and past participle of regular verbs.
Examples
I e-mailed the documents to the client yesterday afternoon.
She realized she had e-mailed the wrong attachment after she hit send.
Have you e-mailed the committee about the change in schedule?