Postcard

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈpoʊstˌkɑɹd/

Definitions

1. A small card for sending messages by mail, typically featuring a picture on one side
2. A card designed for sending brief written messages through the mail, often printed with an image on one side that enhances its aesthetic appeal
3. A piece of stiff paper used for correspondence, usually showcasing an image or design on one side and meant for mailing without an envelope

Etymology: The most surprising thing about "postcard" is how plainly it was named: it is simply "post" plus "card", a pairing of two words that each carry centuries of separate history. "Post" comes from Latin "ponere", "to place", which passed through Old French "poste" and reached English in the Middle Ages with the sense of a fixed station or a set of relay horses, later the mail service itself. "Card" traces back through Old French "carte" and Latin "charta" to the Greek "khartes", a sheet of papyrus, and entered English as "carde" in Middle English. The compound describes exactly what the object is: a card sent through the post. Nothing about the name hides a story, so the interest lies in the ordinary building blocks, each of which once meant something concrete about paper and placement.

Synonyms: card, greeting card