ZIP CODE

What Does ZIP CODE Mean?

The Quick Answer

ZIP CODE means "Postal Code."

More Detail...

What is a Zip Code?

A zip code is a postal code used by the United States Postal Service (USPS) to enable faster and more efficient mail delivery. Zip codes were introduced in the US in 1963. Zip is an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan (which is a great example of creating a definition to match an acronym!). The term zip was chosen to impress on the public the idea that mail addressed with the code would "zip" through the system much more quickly. In the UK a zip code is called a postcode.

Other Uses of Zip Code

In general chat, both online and offline, zip code is now often used as a synonym of "area" or "neighborhood." For example:

• Stay out of that zip code after dark.
• People from that zip code never have to worry about the state of public schools.

What's the "Zip Code Rule?"

The movie Road Trip (released in 2000) popularized the idea of the "zip code rule," which states that it is not considered cheating if a guy in a relationship with one girl dates another from a different zip code.

Image for ZIP CODE

When I write ZIP CODE, I mean this:

A zip code is a postal code.

Summary of Key Points

"Postal Code" is, by far, the most common meaning for ZIP CODE when it is used in a text. (Bear in mind that it could have another meaning if used in a different context.)

ZIP CODE
Definition:	Postal Code
Type:	Word
Guessability:	1: Easy to guess
Typical Users:	Adults, Teenagers, and Under 13s

An Academic Look at ZIP CODE

The term zip code is a noun (i.e., a naming word). ZIP is an acronym (i.e., an abbreviation spoken like a word).

Example of ZIP CODE Used in a Text

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