poste restante

[ pohst re-stahnt or, esp. British, res-tahnt; French pawst res-tahnt ]

/ ˌpoʊst rɛˈstɑnt or, esp. British, ˈrɛs tɑnt; French pɔst rɛsˈtɑ̃t /

a direction written on mail to indicate that it should be held at the post office until called for by the addressee.

Chiefly British. a department in charge of such mail.

Origin of poste restante

1760–70; < French: literally, standing post

Write to me at the poste-restante, and tell me when and where I can see you alone.

The Lost Lady of Lone |E.D.E.N. Southworth
By leaving your address at the poste-restante, you have all your letters sent to you at the hotel without delay.

Fair Italy, the Riviera and Monte Carlo |W. Cope Devereux
No doubt the porter's nephew will return to-day from the Poste-Restante with a letter.

The Mysteries of Paris, Volume 4 of 6 |Eugne Sue
The latter she handed to me, and I found it was addressed in my name, and had been sent to the Poste-restante.

The Count's Chauffeur |William Le Queux

If you've got a pad there, please send it poste-restante to Avignon.

The Letters Of Mark Twain, Volume 4, 1886-1900 |Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)

poste restante

/ (ˈpəʊst rɪˈstænt, French pɔst rɛstɑ̃t) /

(not in the US and Canada) an address on mail indicating that it should be kept at a specified post office until collected by the addressee

the mail-delivery service or post-office department that handles mail having this address

US and Canadian equivalent: general delivery

French, literally: mail remaining