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general postal union: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

Very Low / Historical
UK/ˌdʒenrəl ˈpəʊstl ˈjuːniən/US/ˌdʒenrəl ˈpoʊstl ˈjunjən/

Historical / Formal / Technical (Postal)

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Quick answer

What does “general postal union” mean?

The original name (before 1878) of the Universal Postal Union, an international organization coordinating postal policies between member countries.

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Pronunciation

Definition

Meaning and Definition

The original name (before 1878) of the Universal Postal Union, an international organization coordinating postal policies between member countries.

A historical term for the first worldwide postal treaty system, established to standardize international mail exchange, reduce rates, and simplify procedures. Sometimes used loosely to refer to principles of international postal cooperation.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

No significant differences in usage, as the term is historical and technical. Both varieties use the same term.

Connotations

Historical significance, foundation of modern international mail.

Frequency

Extremely rare in both varieties, limited to specialized historical contexts.

Grammar

How to Use “general postal union” in a Sentence

The General Postal Union + verb (was founded, established, created)Membership in the General Postal UnionTreaties of the General Postal Union

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong
establishment of thetreaty of thefounding of thecreation of the
medium
history of themember of theagreement under the
weak
internationalpostal system19th centurycooperation

Examples

Examples of “general postal union” in a Sentence

verb

British English

  • The nations agreed to general-postal-union their mail systems. (Hypothetical/Non-standard)
  • Countries sought to generalise postal union principles. (Related verb)

American English

  • The treaty aimed to general-postal-union international mail. (Hypothetical/Non-standard)
  • They worked to universalize postal union rules. (Related verb)

adverb

British English

  • The system operated general-postal-union-ly. (Hypothetical/Non-standard)
  • Mail flowed more freely, quasi-general-postal-union. (Hypothetical)

American English

  • They coordinated general-postal-union-style. (Hypothetical/Non-standard)
  • It functioned, in effect, general-postal-union-wise. (Hypothetical)

adjective

British English

  • The General-Postal-Union treaty was signed in Bern. (Compound adjective)
  • It was a ground-breaking, general-postal-union agreement.

American English

  • General-Postal-Union principles revolutionized mail. (Compound adjective)
  • A key general-postal-union conference was held.

Usage

Meaning in Context

Business

Extremely rare. Might be referenced in corporate histories of logistics or postal companies.

Academic

Used in historical, political science, or communications studies discussing 19th-century international organizations.

Everyday

Virtually never used.

Technical

Used in philately (stamp collecting) and postal history discussions.

Vocabulary

Synonyms of “general postal union”

Strong

UPU (acronym for Universal Postal Union)World Postal Union

Neutral

Universal Postal Union (post-1878 name)International postal treaty system

Weak

Postal allianceMail cooperation treaty

Vocabulary

Antonyms of “general postal union”

Postal isolationismUnilateral postal policyRestricted mail system

Watch out

Common Mistakes When Using “general postal union”

  • *General Post Union (missing 'al')
  • *General Postal Unity (confusing 'union' with 'unity')
  • Using it to refer to a national postal service like Royal Mail or USPS.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

No, the General Postal Union was renamed the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in 1878. The UPU, headquartered in Bern, Switzerland, is still the primary UN agency for international postal cooperation.

Its main achievement was creating a single postal territory for the exchange of mail between member countries, replacing a complex web of bilateral treaties with uniform rules and simplified rates.

It is historically inaccurate. In any modern context (post-1878), you should use 'Universal Postal Union' or 'UPU'. Use 'General Postal Union' only when referring specifically to the period 1874-1878 or its founding.

The original treaty was signed on October 9, 1874, by 22 founding countries, establishing the General Postal Union.

The original name (before 1878) of the Universal Postal Union, an international organization coordinating postal policies between member countries.

General postal union is usually historical / formal / technical (postal) in register.

General postal union: in British English it is pronounced /ˌdʒenrəl ˈpəʊstl ˈjuːniən/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌdʒenrəl ˈpoʊstl ˈjunjən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

  • “None directly associated. The concept birthed phrases like 'the postage stamp is your passport' internationally.”

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think: GENERAL agreement for POSTAL service creates a UNION of countries.

Conceptual Metaphor

A POSTAL LEAGUE OF NATIONS (framing it as a pioneering international governance body for a specific service).

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap
Before it was renamed in 1878, the organization we now call the Universal Postal Union was originally known as the .
Multiple Choice

What is the primary significance of the General Postal Union?

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