mailed

Mailed is the past tense and past participle of the verb to mail, meaning to send something through a postal system or, in earlier usage, to send by mail in a more general sense. In modern contexts, mail typically refers to letters, parcels, or other items delivered by a postal service. The phrase “mailed today” indicates delivery via the postal system, while “mailed to” introduces the recipient. Although electronic mail is common today, the past tense mailed is still used when referring to physical mail. In contemporary writing, “mailed” is often preferred over “sent by mail” for brevity.

Mailed can also function as an adjective in historical or literary contexts, describing armor made of chain mail. A person described as “mailed” is wearing or protected by interlocking metal rings. This usage is common in descriptions of medieval armor or in heraldic and fiction writing, though it is less common in everyday speech.

Etymology follows the distinct senses of mail. The postal sense derives from mail, meaning letters or parcels transmitted through the postal system. The armor sense comes from Old French maille, meaning mesh or chain, later used to describe protective armor.

Examples include: “The invitation was mailed last week.” “He mailed the manuscript to the publisher.” “The knight appeared in a full suit of mail.” The two senses share the same spelling but come from different historical developments, and each is understood via its own context.