Email

/ˈiːmeɪl/

nounBeginner🔥Very CommonCommunication
2 meanings2 idioms/phrases3 questions

Definitions

2 meanings
1

Messages distributed by electronic means from one computer user to one or more recipients via a network.

/ˈiːmeɪl/

nounneutralBeginner
Communication

I sent an email to my friend.

💡 Simply: Email is like sending a letter, but instead of a stamp and mailbox, you use the internet. It's super fast!

👶 For kids: Email is like a letter that you send on the computer or phone!

More Examples

2

Check your email for the attachment.

3

The email bounced back due to an incorrect address.

How It's Used

Business

"I received an email from my boss this morning."

Personal

"She sent me a funny email about the cat."

Technical

"The email system is currently experiencing downtime."

2

To send a message to someone using email.

/ˈiːmeɪl/

verbneutralBeginner
Action

Can you email me the file?

💡 Simply: To email someone is like sending them a message through the internet on your computer or phone. You type it, and then you click send!

👶 For kids: Emailing means sending a message on the computer!

More Examples

2

I emailed him the details about the meeting.

3

She's emailing back and forth with her client.

How It's Used

Business

"I will email you the report later today."

Personal

"Let me email you the photos."

Technical

"The software can automatically email notifications."

Tip:Think of 'mail' but with an electronic 'e'.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Antonyms

Idioms & expressions

email blast

The act of sending an email to a large group of people at once.

"The company sent out an email blast about the new product launch."

inbox zero

Achieving a state where the inbox is empty by processing or archiving all emails.

"I strive to achieve inbox zero daily to stay organized."

From 'electronic mail', coined in the early 1970s to describe messages sent electronically over computer networks.

Email became widely used in the 1990s with the growth of the internet and personal computers.

Memory tip

Think of a digital letter that arrives instantly.

Word Origin

LanguageEnglish
Original meaning

"Electronic mail"

Base: email
send an emailreceive an emailcheck your emailreply to an emailemail address

Common misspellings

e-mailE-mailemailingemails

Usage

30%Spoken
70%Written