philately

[fi-lat-l-ee]

noun

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

1860–65; < French philatélie < 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

Related formsphil·a·tel·ic

[fil-uh-tel-ik] /ˌfɪl əˈtɛl ɪk/, phil·a·tel·i·cal, adjectivephil·a·tel·i·cal·ly, adverbphi·lat·e·list

[fi-lat-l-ist] /fɪˈlæt l ɪst/, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for philatelist

Historical Examples of philatelist

It may have been an error but it troubled no one but the philatelist.
Canada: Its Postage Stamps and Postal Stationery
Clifton Armstrong Howes
Some people irreverently style it "the Philatelist's Bible."
Stamp Collecting as a Pastime
Edward J. Nankivell
This Work is intended to fill a void which has hitherto existed in the Philatelist's Library.
Stamp Collecting as a Pastime
Edward J. Nankivell
It was satirized and laughed at by all, and a contemporary criticism, which has been reproduced in The Philatelist, vol.
Gossip in the First Decade of Victoria's Reign
John Ashton
Was it published when you went to Ghana that you were a philatelist?
Warren Commission (9 of 26): Hearings Vol. IX (of 15)
The President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy

British Dictionary definitions for philatelist

philately

noun

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

Derived Formsphilatelic (ˌfɪləˈtɛlɪk), adjectivephilatelically, adverbphilatelist, noun

Word Origin for philately

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

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

Word Origin and History for philatelist

philately

"stamp-collecting," 1865, from French philatélie, coined by French stamp collector Georges Herpin (in "Le Collectionneur de Timbres-poste," Nov. 15, 1864), from Greek phil- "loving" (see philo-) + ateleia "exemption from tax," the closest word Herpin could find in ancient Greek to the concept of "postage stamp" (from a- "without" + telos "tax;" see toll (n.)). A reminder of the original function of postage stamps, now often forgotten: the cost of letter-carrying formerly was paid by the recipient; stamps indicated it had been pre-paid by the sender, thus the letters were "carriage-free."

It is a pity that for one of the most popular scientific pursuits one of the least popularly intelligible names should have been found. [Fowler]

Related: Philatelic; philatelism; philatelist.