post office

• postoffice, (archaic) post-office

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈpəʊst ˌɒfɪs/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈpoʊst ˌɔfɪs/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• (cot–caught merger, Canada) IPA^(key): /ˈpoʊst ˌɑfɪs/

post office (countable and uncountable, plural post offices)

1. (countable) A place (building, office, shop, or counter) concerned with the business of delivering letters, post or mail and selling stamps, etc.
2. (countable) An organisation that delivers letters.
   • 1815, Jane Austen, Emma, volume II, chapter 16:

     “The post-office is a wonderful establishment!” said she.—“The regularity and despatch of it! If one thinks of all that it has to do, and all that it does so well, it is really astonishing!”

3. (Canada, US, uncountable) A party game involving the exchange of kisses.

   Synonym: postman's knock

• (place): postal outlet
• (place): postal station (Canadian)

• post office box
• post-office order
• sub-post office
• travelling post office