What Is the Meaning of PS?

PS is the shortened form of the Latin word, which means “after writing” and describes an afterthought. In this sense, post means “after,” and scriptum describes the word “written.” The initials PS stands for something that follows the body of your email. This means that the PS either has a connection to the rest of the email or can stand alone and express another thought.

When people still wrote their texts on paper with pen and ink, it was a challenge to rewrite the entire letter if an important piece of information was forgotten. Using PS in a letter indicated an additional idea after the main text was already written and the closing lines and signature were already set. Even today, PS is set after the signature.

How to use PS correctly in your email

Nowadays, we can easily edit our messages. However, using PS still has its function even today. When you use PS, you suggest to the reader of your email that you are adding an additional note or piece of information that is independent of the main body. This means that you usually don’t use PS in the body of your email but rather describe a thought after you’ve finished your message. It is also a wonderful way to add a personal touch at the end.

Examples of PS in an email

An example of this could be a reminder of a private meeting you have arranged to meet next Friday at 5 pm. You would then conclude your email as follows:

Best wishes,
Lisa
P.S. I have reserved a table at the restaurant for 5 pm. I would say we meet right in front of the office and walk there together.

What is the correct way to write PS

Interestingly, you have two options available. PS and P.S. are both correct. The Cambridge Dictionary suggests P.S. as the correct spelling for the British English format, but PS is still used in the same way. By the way, you can include multiple afterthoughts by using PPS, PPPS, and so on. Your English tutor can help you practice using all of them and distinguish when you should take this or that version.

Main takeaways:

• PS continues to appear in modern correspondence, such as emails and online chats.
• Postscriptum originated in a time period when letters were handwritten or typed on a typewriter.
• PS is an acronym of the Latin word postscriptum, which translates as post-script.
• Both PS and P.S. are correct.
• You can use multiple postscripts using PPS, PPPS, and so on.