Etymologically
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philatélie

Etymology and origin of the French word philatélie

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Coinage
First attested
1864, Le Collectionneur de timbres-poste
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
French philatélie
English philately

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /fi.la.te.li/[1]

Forms

philatélie f (uncountable)[1]

Etymology

It was coined by the stamp collector Georges Herpin in “Le Collectionneur de timbres-poste” of 15 November 1864,[2][3][4][5] from phil(o)- (“love of”) and an element taken from Ancient Greek ἀτέλεια (atéleia, “exemption from taxes”), from Ancient Greek ἀτελής (atelḗs, “free from charges”), from privative “a-” and Ancient Greek τέλος (télos, “charge, tax”).[2][3][6] Herpin reasoned that stamps, paid by the sender, freed the receiver from paying the postage, which had been the usual practice.[2][3][7] Bloch and Wartburg and the GLLF take it from the Greek phrase “ex ateleias” “free of charge”, arbitrarily made to mean “post free”.[4][8]

Earliest recorded meaning

Herpin proposed it in 1864 with the gloss “love of the study of everything that concerns franking”;[2][3] he also offered philatèle for the collector.[2]

Semantic evolution

Its odd etymology forgotten, the word had great success and was adopted at once, with philatéliste (1864) and philatélique (1865).[3][4] The Académie's 1935 edition has the rare synonym philatélisme (1903–1907) but not philatélie.[8][3] English philately is recorded from 1865.[7]

Timeline

  • 15 November 1864 – Proposed by Herpin.[2]
  • 1864 – Philatéliste.[3]
  • 1865 – Philatélique, English philately.[3][7]
  • 1903 – Philatélisme.[8]
  • 1935 – Philatélisme in the Académie.[8]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Philately: the study and collecting of postage stamps.[9][1]
  2. (dated) A taste for collecting stamps.[8]

Word family

  • philatéliste
  • philatélique
  • Ancient Greek ἀτέλεια (atéleia)
  • English philately

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 8, 383a
  6. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  7. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  8. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  9. ^ Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert

Borrowed into

Cite this entry

“Philatélie.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/philat%C3%A9lie. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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