Aerograms

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A message transmitted by air, typically written on a lightweight paper, which is sent through postal services
2. A communication form sent via air mail, generally using a folded, pre-paid paper format for correspondence
3. An airborne message, often utilizing thin paper, that is dispatched through mail systems for delivery

Etymology: "Aerograms" is the plural of "aerogram", a word built from two Greek-derived pieces: "aero-", from Greek "aēr" meaning air, and "-gram", from Greek "gramma" meaning something written or drawn. Put together, the word describes something written and sent through the air. The sense it names is specific. An aerogram is a single lightweight sheet that is folded and gummed into its own envelope, so no separate envelope is needed, and it travels by airmail. The design saves weight and postage, which is why the form was attractive for long-distance correspondence once air travel made such mail routine. Both parts of the compound are familiar from other words. "Aero-" appears in "aeroplane" and "aerodynamic", and "-gram" appears in "telegram" and "diagram", so the word's construction is transparent once the pieces are known.

Synonyms: airmail, air letters