Definition
A person with whom one exchanges letters regularly, typically a stranger living in another city or country, for the purpose of friendship or cultural exchange. Historically a popular way to make distant friendships before digital communication.
Example Usage
She had a pen pal in Japan for ten years before they finally met in person.
Origin
A modern coinage combining 'pen' (writing instrument) and 'pal' (friend), popularized in the early 20th century as organized pen pal programs became common.
Fun Fact
Pen pal organizations like International Pen Friends (founded 1967) still operate today and have facilitated hundreds of thousands of cross-cultural friendships and even marriages.
Source: Definition backfill (hailey)
Related Terms
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See “Pen Pal” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.
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