philately

[ fi-lat-l-ee ]

noun
  1. the collecting of stamps and other postal matter as a hobby or an investment.

  2. the study of postage stamps, revenue stamps, stamped envelopes, postmarks, postal cards, covers, and similar material relating to postal or fiscal history.

Origin of philately

1
First recorded in 1860–65; from French philatélie, from Greek phil- phil- + atéleia “freedom from charges” (taken to mean recipient's freedom from delivery charges by virtue of the stamp which sender affixed to the letter), literally, “want of taxation,” equivalent to a- a-6 + tél(os) “tax” + -eia -y3

Other words from philately

  • phil·a·tel·ic [fil-uh-tel-ik], /ˌfɪl əˈtɛl ɪk/, phil·a·tel·i·cal, adjective
  • phil·a·tel·i·cal·ly, adverb
  • phi·lat·e·list [fi-lat-l-ist], /fɪˈlæt l ɪst/, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use philately in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for philately

philately

/ (fɪˈlætəlɪ) /


noun
  1. the collection and study of postage stamps and all related material concerned with postal history

Origin of philately

1
C19: from French philatélie, from philo- + Greek ateleia exemption from charges (here referring to stamps), from a- 1 + telos tax, payment

Derived forms of philately

  • philatelic (ˌfɪləˈtɛlɪk), adjective
  • philatelically, adverb
  • philatelist, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012