par avion

English

Etymology

Borrowed from French par avion (“by plane”), a phrase often printed or stamped on air mail envelopes.

Prepositional phrase

par avion

1. By air mail.
   • 1946 August 19, John Cheever, “[Letter to Don and Katrina Ettlinger]”, in The Letters of John Cheever, published 1989, →ISBN, page 119:

     I’ve written you before but I forgot to send it par avion and it probably won’t get there before Christmas.

   • 2006, J. G. Hayes, A Map of the Harbor Islands, →ISBN, page 25:

     He was sent to Vietnam to kill people. Signed up for a stupor-second tour when the loved one repudiated him Par Avion.

   • 2021, Angela Mi Young Hur, Foklorn‎^[1], →ISBN:

     I have vague memories of her writing on blue airmail stationery—delicate sheets that tuck into themselves—ready to be sealed, stamped, and sent par avion.