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Pen pal: meaning, definitions and examples

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pen pal

[ ˈpen ˌpal ]

Noun

^{Context #1 | Noun}

friendship

A person with whom one becomes friendly by exchanging letters, especially someone in a foreign country whom one has never met.

Synonyms

correspondent, epistolary friend, pen friend.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
pen pal	Suitable for informal and friendly communication with someone you write letters to, often in a different country or culture. I've had a pen pal in Japan for five years, and we exchange letters every month My pen pal sent me a beautiful postcard from her hometown
correspondent	Used in a more formal context, often referring to someone who writes letters, emails, or articles professionally. The war correspondent provided detailed reports from the front lines As a correspondent for the magazine, she travels frequently to cover various stories
pen friend	Similar to 'pen pal', used for informal correspondence, typically between young people or students from different countries. My English teacher helped us find pen friends from Italy During summer camp, we were encouraged to write to our pen friends
epistolary friend	This term is very formal and archaic, seldom used in modern language, usually found in historical or literary contexts. In the 19th century, people often had epistolary friends to share their thoughts and ideas through letters Mary Shelley's novel is written in the form of letters between epistolary friends

Examples of usage

My pen pal from Japan sent me a letter with beautiful stamps.
We have been pen pals for over five years now.

^{Context #2 | Noun}

online communication

A person with whom one communicates via online messaging or email, typically from a different region or country.

Synonyms

online friend, virtual friend.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
pen pal	When referring to someone who exchanges letters or emails regularly with someone else, often from a different country, and this practice has been ongoing for some time. I've had a pen pal from Japan for over five years, and we've learned so much about each other's cultures. My pen pal and I exchange letters once a month.
online friend	When referring to someone you have met and communicate with primarily through social media platforms, chat rooms, or other online communities, and you might not have met in person. I met my online friend in a gaming forum, and we've been chatting every day since then. My online friend and I share music recommendations with each other.
virtual friend	When referring to someone who you interact with through virtual environments or digital avatars, such as in virtual reality spaces or online games. This term emphasizes the digital nature of the friendship. In the virtual world of the game, I have a virtual friend who always helps me with quests. My virtual friend and I explore new virtual reality experiences together.

Word

Description / Examples

pen pal

When referring to someone who exchanges letters or emails regularly with someone else, often from a different country, and this practice has been ongoing for some time.

I've had a pen pal from Japan for over five years, and we've learned so much about each other's cultures.
My pen pal and I exchange letters once a month.

online friend

When referring to someone you have met and communicate with primarily through social media platforms, chat rooms, or other online communities, and you might not have met in person.

I met my online friend in a gaming forum, and we've been chatting every day since then.
My online friend and I share music recommendations with each other.

virtual friend

When referring to someone who you interact with through virtual environments or digital avatars, such as in virtual reality spaces or online games. This term emphasizes the digital nature of the friendship.

In the virtual world of the game, I have a virtual friend who always helps me with quests.
My virtual friend and I explore new virtual reality experiences together.

Examples of usage

I met my pen pal through a language exchange website.
We chat with our pen pals every week.

Translations

Translations of the word "pen pal" in other languages:

🇵🇹 amigo por correspondência

🇮🇳 पत्र मित्र

🇩🇪 Brieffreund

🇮🇩 sahabat pena

🇺🇦 друг по листуванню

🇵🇱 przyjaciel korespondencyjny

🇯🇵 ペンフレンド

🇫🇷 correspondant

🇪🇸 amigo por correspondencia

🇹🇷 mektup arkadaşı

🇰🇷 편지 친구

🇸🇦 صديق المراسلة

🇨🇿 dopisujující přítel

🇸🇰 priatelia na písanie

🇨🇳 笔友

🇸🇮 pisni prijatelj

🇮🇸 bréfavinur

🇰🇿 хат жазысатын дос

🇬🇪 ფოსტის მეგობარი

🇦🇿 məktub dostu

🇲🇽 amigo por correspondencia

Etymology

The concept of having a pen pal dates back to the early 20th century when people would exchange letters with strangers from different countries to learn about their culture and language. The term 'pen pal' became popularized in the mid-20th century with the rise of international communication. Today, pen pals can be established through traditional mail or various online platforms, fostering friendships and connections across borders.