WordGarden.iosender
A2Pronunciation
UK
- /sˈɛndə/
US
- /ˈsɛndər/
Meanings
Noun
a person, organization, or thing that sends something
in computing or messaging, the account, device, or program that originates a message or data transfer
Beyond the definition
A sender is the person, company, or device that sends something to someone else. It may be a letter, an email, a package, or a signal. When you get a message, the sender is the one it came from.
You will often see this word in mail, messaging, and technology. On a letter, the sender is the person who mailed it. In email, the sender is the address that sent the message. In a technical system, a sender can also be a device or program that sends data to another device or program.
The word "sender" refers to the person, group, company, or device that sends something to another person or place. That "something" might be a physical item, such as a letter or package, or it might be information, such as an email, text message, or signal. In most cases, the sender is simply the source things come from.
Think about a handwritten letter. The person who writes it and mails it is the sender. If you receive a parcel, the sender is the person or business that shipped it. In email or text messaging, the sender is the account or number that the message came from. This is why apps and websites often show sender details first: they help you know who contacted you.
The word is also common in technology. In computer networks, a sender may be a computer, phone, app, or system that sends data to a receiver. In that setting, the word does not only mean a human being. It can mean whatever starts the transfer.
Sometimes the word also carries a sense of responsibility. If a company sends a notice, it is the sender of that notice. If a person sends a gift, they are the sender named on the package or message. So the word often helps us identify both where something came from and who sent it.
So in everyday English, a sender is usually whoever sends the message, item, or signal. It is a practical word, and it is most often used when we need to mark the source before something reaches its receiver.
Examples
- 1
Email safety
Check the sender before you open the email.
- 2
Package address
The sender forgot to write a return address on the package.
- 3
Digital messages
Our app shows the sender's name at the top of each message.
- 4
Postal return
The letter came back marked "Return to sender."
- Phrasereturn to sender
send it back to the person who mailed it
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
- dispatcher
- remitter
- emailer
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- email sender
- unknown sender
- sender address
- return to sender
Word family
Explore
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- sendernoun
Forms
- senderspluralnoun