postcode

postcode — noun

1. a short address code, used mainly in the UK and Australia, that helps mail go to

1.nounB1
Definition

a short address code, used mainly in the UK and Australia, that helps mail go to the correct area

Example

Please write your postcode clearly at the end of the form.

write a postcode on a form

The driver entered the postcode and found our street in seconds.

enter a postcode to find a place

Common collocations
  • write your postcode
  • enter a postcode
  • check the postcode
  • wrong postcode
Synonyms
  • postal code

    A broader international term that can refer to similar systems in many countries.

  • ZIP code

    The usual American term for this kind of address code.

  • post code

    A spelling variant with the same meaning, but the one-word form is now more usual.

Grammar Patterns

write + postcode

enter + postcode

postcode + is + adjective

Usage Note

Mainly British English; American English usually says ZIP code. Common with verbs like write, enter, check, and give.

Common Mistakes

My American friend gave me his postcode.
My American friend gave me his ZIP code.
In American English, the usual term is 'ZIP code,' not 'postcode'.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Postcode and postal code are close, but postal code is the wider term used for many countries. Postcode is especially common in British English and also fits Australian use. ZIP code is the American name for the same general idea, so it sounds natural for US addresses but not for addresses in the UK. Post code is simply a spelling variant of postcode, though the one-word form is more usual today. A good memory trick is to match the word to the country: use postcode for London or Sydney, but ZIP code for Chicago. For example, say "Please enter your postcode" on a UK form, but "Please enter your ZIP code" on a US form.

postal codeZIP codepost code

Common collocations

Nouns

  • postcode area
  • postcode district
  • postcode lookup

Adverbs

Phrases

  • enter your postcode
  • check the postcode
  • find a postcode

Prepositions

  • postcode for
  • postcode in

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Postcode is a modern English compound made from post, in the sense of mail delivery, and code, meaning a set of letters or numbers with a special use. The word became common when postal systems began using short letter-number combinations to sort mail faster and guide it to the right place.