Phrase guide

postcode lottery

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌpəʊs(t)kəʊd ˈlɒtəɹi/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /-ˈlɒtɹi/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /ˌpoʊs(t)ˌkoʊd ˈlɑtɚi/
  • General-American: [-ɾɚ-]

1

noun

Meaning 1

The unequal availability or quality of services, especially public services such as healthcare or education, in different parts of the country.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From postcode (“a sequence of letters and numbers added to a postal address to aid the sorting and delivery of post or mail; a region denoted by a postcode”) + lottery (“something decided by chance”), referring to the fact that whether one is in a locality which receives adequate services is a matter of chance.

Across languages

Translations

1 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Ukrainian: лотере́я за поштовим індексом (loteréja za poštovym indeksom) — unequal availability of services in different parts of the country