philately

[ fi-lat-l-ee ]

/ fɪˈlæt l i /

Save This Word!

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.

QUIZ

CUDDLE UP! A COZY QUIZ ON FALL WORDS HAS ARRIVED

If autumn is your ideal season, spice up your repertoire of "fall" vocabulary with this quiz on some warm and vivid descriptive words for the season.

Question 1 of 10

Which of the following words means “to make a crackling sound; crackle”?

crisp

crepitate

fuscous

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Meet Grammar Coach

Write or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar help

Improve Your Writing

Meet Grammar CoachImprove Your Writing

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

OTHER WORDS FROM philately

phil·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

Words nearby philately

philanderer, philanthropic, philanthropist, philanthropize, philanthropy, philately, Philby, -phile, Philem., philemaphobia, Philemon

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

How to use philately in a sentence

Philately, fi-lat′e-li, n. the study and collection of postage and revenue stamps and labels (also Timbrophily, Timbrology).
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R)|Various
Strictly speaking, the so-called "officially sealed stamps" are not stamps, as that term is technically employed in philately.
Canada: Its Postage Stamps and Postal Stationery|Clifton Armstrong Howes
Every new phase of recreation from playgrounds to philately presently has its countrywide association.
Society|Henry Kalloch Rowe
It is impossible to estimate the injury resulting to Philately.
Harper's Young People, June 14, 1881|Various

Like the lady said to the stamp collector, philately will get you everywhere.
Makers|Cory Doctorow

British Dictionary definitions for philately

philately

/ (fɪˈlætəlɪ) /

noun

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

Derived forms of philately

philatelic (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