'Email' or 'E-mail': What's the Difference?

Should you spell it ‘email’ or ‘E-mail’? And what’s the difference? We’ll cover that in detail below. Plus, you’ll learn how to use it correctly in a sentence.

The short answer is that neither spelling is incorrect. Both spellings of the word are widely accepted. ‘Email’ is simply an alternative spelling of ‘e-mail.’

‘E-mail’ or ‘Email’ – Which is Correct?

We’ve just learned that both spellings of the word are correct. So, it’s safe to use either or. Whichever you feel comfortable with, you can use it.

Is it ‘e-mail,’ ‘E-mail’ or ‘Email’?

You know that ‘email’ and ‘e-mail’ are both acceptable, but what about the capitalization factor? Can you use both the lowercase and capitalized versions anytime?

As long as you follow standard capitalization rules. For example, you wouldn’t use the capital version of the word in a middle of a sentence.

• I had to send an E-mail to my boss to give her an update. (incorrect)

We’ll go over some example sentences later on in the article.

Definition and Meaning

The Merriam-Webster definition of ‘email’ is: “a means or system for transmitting messages electronically (as between computers on a network),” “messages sent and received electronically through an email system,” and “an email message.”

The verb form of the word is defined as: “to send email to (someone)” and “to send (something) by email.”

It also means: “to communicate by email.”

A Brief History

The first known use of the word was as a noun in 1979, and it meant the same thing it means in the first definition given above.

By 1983, the verb was finally an accepted form of the word, and it meant and still means “to communicate by email.”

Plural of ‘Email’

The plural form of the word ‘email’ is ‘emails.’ It follows the same rules for pluralization that most words do. That means, to make it plural, you’d simply add an ‘s’ or ‘es.’ In this case, it’s simply an ‘s.’

How to Use ‘Email’ in a Sentence

Now that we know a little bit more about the word, we can talk about how to use it in a sentence. Keep the meaning in mind as you construct your sentences.

Take a look at some examples of how to use it in a sentence in singular form:

• I’ll email you the tickets to the show, just in case.
• I have about fifteen different email addresses because I keep forgetting the passwords.
• Email me your enrollment form, and we’ll get started from there.
• I have a new business email address so send all correspondence to that email from now on.
• Can you help me set up my work email? I’m not sure what I’m doing.
• I don’t give out my phone number, but you can have my email address.

Now let’s see some examples of how to use it in plural form:

• I got two emails from FedEx but still haven’t received an update about my package.
• We received your emails, but unfortunately, there’s truly nothing more we can do.
• I feel like all I do at the office is send emails and answer phones all day.
• I probably send out about a hundred emails per day at work.
• I’m not so sure about sending multiple emails. Maybe we should wait for a response first.
• Writing daily emails is the worst part of my day. I hate it.

Final Thoughts on ‘Email’ and ‘E-Mail’

Now that you know that both spellings of the word are correct, you can confidently use the word in a sentence correctly yourself. With the above examples as a guide, you should have no problem crafting a great sentence of your own.

Need to brush up on other words that trip you up? That’s exactly why we’ve created an entire library of content that helps explain confusing words and phrases that even native English speakers occasionally have trouble with. Come back anytime.