Letter vs. Mail — What's the Difference?
By Fiza Rafique & Maham Liaqat — Updated on March 9, 2024
A letter is a written message from one party to another, while mail encompasses all items sent through the postal system, including letters, packages, and periodicals.
Difference Between Letter and Mail
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A letter is traditionally understood as a written communication between individuals, often personalized and enclosed in an envelope, sent through the postal service or electronically via email. It's a form of communication that has been used for centuries, valued for its personal touch and deliberateness. Mail, on the other hand, refers to the broader category of items and documents that are processed and delivered by postal services or courier companies. This includes not only letters but also packages, magazines, advertisements, and other types of correspondence.
The composition of a letter usually involves a greeting, body, closing, and signature, tailored to the recipient with a specific message or information. It can be formal or informal, depending on the relationship between the sender and the recipient. Mail, in its broader scope, might not carry the same personal tone or detailed message as a letter. For example, packages may contain goods with an accompanying invoice rather than a personalized message, and magazines are designed for a general audience rather than an individual.
The purpose of sending a letter often revolves around personal communication, such as conveying thoughts, feelings, information, or conducting formal transactions like business correspondence. In contrast, the purpose of mail can range from personal communication to commercial, including advertising materials, ordered goods, legal notices, and more. The diversity of mail reflects the wide range of reasons individuals and entities use postal and courier services.
Delivery methods for letters typically involve postal services, which can vary from standard to express delivery options, depending on the urgency and the sender's willingness to pay for faster service. Mail, encompassing a wider variety of items, can utilize a broader array of delivery services, including specialized courier services for packages, certified mail for legal documents, and bulk mailing options for promotional materials.
The handling and regulations surrounding letters and mail also differ. While letters, especially personal ones, generally enjoy a degree of privacy and protection under postal regulations, the broader category of mail, including commercial and legal items, may be subject to more specific handling requirements, regulations, and scrutiny, especially when crossing international borders or when subject to customs checks.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Written message typically enclosed in an envelope.
Broad term for items sent through the postal system.
Composition
Greeting, body, closing, signature.
Can include packages, periodicals, advertisements.
Purpose
Personal communication, information sharing.
Ranges from personal communication to commercial.
Delivery Methods
Postal services, email.
Postal services, courier companies, specialized delivery.
Regulations
Enjoy privacy and protection.
Subject to handling requirements and customs checks.
Compare with Definitions
Letter
Typically includes a greeting, body, closing, and signature.
The formal letter began with a respectful salutation, followed by the main message and a courteous closing.
Subject to specific handling requirements and scrutiny, especially for international mail.
International mail is inspected by customs to ensure compliance with both import and export regulations.
Letter
Sent via postal services or electronically through email.
He decided to send the letter via express mail to ensure it arrived quickly.
Encompasses all items dispatched through the postal system, including letters.
The daily mail delivery included bills, magazines, and a package from abroad.
Letter
Protected under postal laws, ensuring privacy.
Postal regulations protect the confidentiality of personal letters, making it illegal to open someone else's mail.
Can range from documents to parcels and periodicals.
Today's mail batch contains a mix of advertising flyers, letters, and small packages.
Letter
Used for personal, business, or official communication.
The CEO sent a letter to all employees outlining the new company policies.
Serves purposes from personal communication to commercial transactions.
Businesses often send promotional mail to potential customers as part of their marketing strategy.
Letter
A personalized written communication sent between individuals or entities.
She wrote a heartfelt letter to her friend overseas, expressing how much she missed her.
Utilizes various postal and courier services based on item type and urgency.
The fragile item was sent via a courier service that specializes in handling delicate parcels.
Letter
A character representing one or more of the sounds used in speech; any of the symbols of an alphabet
A capital letter
The mail or post is a system for physically transporting postcards, letters, and parcels. A postal service can be private or public, though many governments place restrictions on private systems.
Letter
A written, typed, or printed communication, sent in an envelope by post or messenger
He sent a letter to Mrs Falconer
Letters and parcels sent by post
I did not receive any mail
Letter
The precise terms of a statement or requirement; the strict verbal interpretation
We must keep the spirit of the law as well as the letter
The officer in the incident got in trouble for following the letter of the law
Armour made of metal rings or plates joined together flexibly
A coat of mail
He had a mail shirt
Letter
Literature
The world of letters
Send (a letter or parcel) by post
Three editions were mailed to our members
Letter
A style of typeface.
Clothe or cover with mail
A mailed gauntlet
Letter
Inscribe letters or writing on
Her name was lettered in gold
Materials, such as letters and packages, handled in a postal system
The volume of mail increases around the holidays.
Letter
Be given a school or college initial as a mark of proficiency in sport
In high school she lettered in soccer, basketball and softball
Postal material for a specific person or organization
Could you pick up my mail at the office?.
Letter
A written symbol or character representing a speech sound and being a component of an alphabet.
Material processed for distribution from a post office at a specified time
Delivered the morning mail around town.
Letter
A written symbol or character used in the graphemic representation of a word, such as the h in Thames. See Note at Thames.
A postal system. Used with the, sometimes in the plural
Used the mail to send the supplies.
Advertisements sent through the mails.
Letter
A written or printed communication directed to a person or organization.
Chiefly British A vehicle by which mail is transported.
Letter
Often letters A certified document granting rights to its bearer.
Mail or messages sent electronically; email.
Letter
Literal meaning
Had to adhere to the letter of the law.
Flexible armor composed of small overlapping metal rings, loops of chain, or scales.
Letter
Literary culture; belles-lettres.
The protective covering of certain animals, as the shell of a turtle.
Letter
Learning or knowledge, especially of literature.
Rent, payment, or tribute.
Letter
Literature or writing as a profession.
To send by a postal system
Mailed the letter yesterday.
Letter
A piece of type that prints a single character.
To send letters and other material by a postal system.
Letter
A specific style of type.
To cover or armor with mail.
Letter
The characters in one style of type.
A bag or wallet.
Letter
An emblem in the shape of the initial of a school awarded for outstanding performance, especially in varsity athletics.
A bag containing letters to be delivered by post.
Letter
To write letters on
Lettered the paper.
The material conveyed by the postal service.
Don't forget to pick up the mail on your way.
Letter
To write in letters
Lettered our name on the mailbox.
(dated) A stagecoach, train or ship that delivers such post.
Letter
To write or form letters.
The postal service or system in general.
He decided to send his declaration by mail.
Letter
To earn a school letter, as for outstanding athletic achievement
She lettered in three collegiate sports.
The letters, parcels, etc. delivered to a particular address or person.
Letter
A symbol in an alphabet.
There are twenty-six letters in the English alphabet.
(uncountable) Electronic mail, e-mail: a computer network–based service for sending, storing, and forwarding electronic messages.
Letter
A written or printed communication, generally longer and more formal than a note.
I wrote a letter to my sister about my life.
A trunk, box, or bag, in which clothing, etc., may be carried.
Letter
The literal meaning of something, as distinguished from its intended and remoter meaning (the spirit).
(uncountable) Armour consisting of metal rings or plates linked together.
Letter
Literature.
Benjamin Franklin was multiskilled – a scientist, politician and a man of letters.
(nautical) A contrivance of interlinked rings, for rubbing off the loose hemp on lines and white cordage.
Letter
(law) A division unit of a piece of law marked by a letter of the alphabet.
Letter (b) constitutes an exception to this provision.
Any hard protective covering of an animal, as the scales and plates of reptiles, shell of a lobster, etc.
Letter
A size of paper, 8½ in × 11 in (215.9 mm × 279.4 mm, US paper sizes rounded to the nearest 5 mm).
A spot on a bird's feather; by extension, a spotted feather.
Letter
A size of paper, 215 mm × 280 mm.
(historical) An old French coin worth half a denier.
Letter
Clipping of varsity letter
A monetary payment or tribute.
Letter
A single type; type, collectively; a style of type.
Rent.
Letter
(archaic) One who retards or hinders.
Tax.
Letter
(transitive) To print, inscribe, or paint letters on something.
(ditransitive) To send (a letter, parcel, etc.) through the mail.
Letter
To earn a varsity letter (award).
(ditransitive) To send by electronic mail.
Please mail me the spreadsheet by the end of the day.
Letter
One who lets or permits; one who lets anything for hire.
(transitive) To arm with mail.
Letter
One who retards or hinders.
(transitive) To pinion.
Letter
A mark or character used as the representative of a sound, or of an articulation of the human organs of speech; a first element of written language.
And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew.
A spot.
Letter
A written or printed communication; a message expressed in intelligible characters on something adapted to conveyance, as paper, parchment, etc.; an epistle.
The style of letters ought to be free, easy, and natural.
A small piece of money; especially, an English silver half-penny of the time of Henry V.
Letter
A writing; an inscription.
None could expound what this letter meant.
Rent; tribute.
Letter
Verbal expression; literal statement or meaning; exact signification or requirement.
We must observe the letter of the law, without doing violence to the reason of the law and the intention of the lawgiver.
I broke the letter of it to keep the sense.
A flexible fabric made of metal rings interlinked. It was used especially for defensive armor.
Letter
A single type; type, collectively; a style of type.
Under these buildings . . . was the king's printing house, and that famous letter so much esteemed.
Hence generally, armor, or any defensive covering.
Letter
Learning; erudition; as, a man of letters.
A contrivance of interlinked rings, for rubbing off the loose hemp on lines and white cordage.
Letter
A letter; an epistle.
Any hard protective covering of an animal, as the scales and plates of reptiles, shell of a lobster, etc.
We . . . strip the lobster of his scarlet mail.
Letter
A telegram longer than an ordinary message sent at rates lower than the standard message rate in consideration of its being sent and delivered subject to priority in service of regular messages. Such telegrams are called by the Western Union Company day letters, or night letters according to the time of sending, and by The Postal Telegraph Company day lettergrams, or night lettergrams.
A strange lock that opens with AMEN.
A bag; a wallet.
Letter
To impress with letters; to mark with letters or words; as, a book gilt and lettered.
The bag or bags with the letters, papers, or other matter contained therein, conveyed under public authority from one post office to another; the whole system of appliances used by government in the conveyance and delivery of mail matter.
There is a mail come in to-day, with letters dated Hague.
Letter
A written message addressed to a person or organization;
Mailed an indignant letter to the editor
That which comes in the mail; letters, etc., received through the post office.
Letter
The conventional characters of the alphabet used to represent speech;
His grandmother taught him his letters
A trunk, box, or bag, in which clothing, etc., may be carried.
Letter
A strictly literal interpretation (as distinct from the intention);
He followed instructions to the letter
He obeyed the letter of the law
To arm with mail.
Letter
An award earned by participation in a school sport;
He won letters in three sports
To pinion.
Letter
Owner who lets another person use something (housing usually) for hire
To deliver into the custody of the postoffice officials, or place in a government letter box, for transmission by mail; to post; as, to mail a letter.
Letter
Win an athletic letter
The bags of letters and packages that are transported by the postal service
Letter
Set down or print with letters
The system whereby messages are transmitted via the post office;
The mail handles billions of items every day
He works for the United States mail service
In England they call mail `the post'
Letter
Mark letters on or mark with letters
A conveyance that transports mail
Any particular collection of letters or packages that is delivered;
Your mail is on the table
Is there any post for me?
She was opening her post
(Middle Ages) flexible armor made of interlinked metal rings
Send via the postal service;
I'll mail you the check tomorrow
Cause to be directed or transmitted to another place;
Send me your latest results
I'll mail you the paper when it's written
Common Curiosities
Are there different regulations for letters compared to other types of mail?
Yes, letters generally enjoy privacy protections, while other mail items may have specific handling and customs requirements.
What types of items are included in mail besides letters?
Mail can include packages, periodicals, advertisements, and other forms of correspondence.
How do delivery methods differ between letters and other types of mail?
Letters typically use standard postal services, while packages and other mail items may require specialized courier services.
Why do people still send letters in the digital age?
People value the personal touch and thoughtfulness of handwritten letters, which can convey emotions and sincerity in ways that digital communications often cannot.
How has the role of mail changed with the advent of electronic communication?
While electronic communication has reduced the volume of personal and business letters, mail remains crucial for the delivery of packages, legal documents, and marketing materials.
What are the environmental impacts of traditional mail versus electronic communication?
Traditional mail has a physical footprint, involving paper use and transportation emissions, whereas electronic communication's impact is more related to energy consumption and electronic waste.
Can mail be personalized like a letter?
While letters inherently offer a personal touch, other mail items can also be personalized to some extent, such as custom packaging or tailored marketing materials.
What is the main difference between a letter and mail?
A letter is a form of written communication, while mail includes any item sent through the postal system.
Can a letter be considered mail?
Yes, a letter is a type of mail, specifically referring to written messages.
How do postal services manage the vast amounts of mail and letters they process daily?
Postal services use a combination of manual sorting, automated machinery, and digital tracking systems to efficiently process and deliver the vast quantities of mail and letters.
What challenges do postal services face in delivering mail to remote or inaccessible areas?
Delivering mail to remote areas can be challenging due to geographical obstacles, requiring specialized methods and vehicles, such as boats, planes, or even animals in some cases.
How do people typically organize and store received letters compared to other mail?
Letters, especially personal ones, are often kept and treasured as mementos, while other mail, like bills or advertisements, may be disposed of after use or filing.
What security measures are in place for sending sensitive information via mail or letters?
For sensitive information, mail and letters can be sent through registered or certified mail services, which provide tracking and require a signature upon delivery.
What future trends might affect the way letters and mail are used and valued?
Future trends may include increased digitization of communication, greater emphasis on environmental sustainability, and the development of innovative delivery technologies like drones or autonomous vehicles.
What is the significance of postage stamps in sending letters and mail?
Postage stamps not only serve as a payment method for mail services but also have cultural and historical significance, with collectors valuing rare and commemorative stamps.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
