postage stamp

¹ American  

noun

1. a small gummed label issued by postal authorities that can be affixed to an envelope, postcard, or package as evidence that postal charges have been paid.

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postage-stamp ² American  

[poh-stij-stamp] / ˈpoʊ stɪdʒˌstæmp /

adjective

Informal.

1. of very small area or size.

   a postage-stamp bikini.

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postage stamp British  

noun

1. a printed paper label with a gummed back for attaching to mail as an official indication that the required postage has been paid

2. a mark directly printed or embossed on an envelope, postcard, etc, serving the same function

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Etymology

Origin of postage stamp¹

First recorded in 1830–40

Origin of postage-stamp¹

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

It is about the size of a postage stamp and thinner than a credit card.

From Science Daily

It was black and square— bigger than a postage stamp, smaller than a bar of soap.

From Literature

The idea for a commemorative postage stamp was suggested by sub-postmasters, and could help raise funds for Lost Chances and educational initiatives related to the scandal.

From BBC

By February the next year, she was appearing on postage stamps and attending banquets for top officials - described as Kim Jong Un's "respected" daughter.

From BBC

Artist Corita Kent, the former Los Angeles nun whose colorful works include the immensely popular “LOVE” postage stamp, died in her Boston home Thursday after a six-month battle against cancer.

From Los Angeles Times