snail mail

What it means

Snail mail is regular physical mail — letters, postcards, packages — described jokingly by comparison to the much faster pace of email and messaging. The phrase is informal and slightly humorous, often used when explaining why something will take days to arrive, or to distinguish a physical letter from an electronic one.

Examples

• I sent the documents by snail mail because they need original signatures.
• Most invoices are digital now; only a few clients still use snail mail.
• Grandma still prefers snail mail to email or texts.
• Expect the contract in about a week — it's going by snail mail.

Where it comes from

Coined in the 1980s as electronic mail spread, using the snail as an obvious symbol of slowness next to instant digital messages. The term became widespread through the 1990s as email moved from offices into everyday life.

Related idioms