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Noun: dead letter  ded le-tu(r)
  1. The state of something that has outlived its relevance
    "The old political scandal had become a dead letter";
    - non-issue
     
  2. Mail that can neither be delivered nor returned
    "The undeliverable package ended up in the dead letter office";
    - dead mail

Derived forms: dead letters

Type of: letter, missive, state

Encyclopedia: Dead letter