philatelist

[ fi-lat-l-ist ]

noun

1. a person who collects stamps as a hobby or investment:

   By following the points below, new philatelists will be able to start their stamp collection and enjoy the benefits of collecting.

2. an expert in the study of postage and revenue stamps, stamped envelopes and postmarks, postcards, and other items related to postal history:

   At the symposium, research on the history of American postal operations was discussed by philatelists and the interested public.

Word History and Origins

Origin of philatelist¹

First recorded in 1860–65; philatel(y) ( def ) + -ist ( def )

Example Sentences

That stamp, known to philatelists as the Inverted Jenny, has transcended the hobby and gained a measure of fame.

From New York Times

The bird became something akin to the exceedingly rare blue Mauritius stamp coveted by philatelists, says Roland Wirth, a conservationist at the Zoological Society for the Conservation of Species and Populations.

From Science Magazine

Purists cringe, but many philatelists say that doing so — carefully, and tinily — does not damage a stamp or detract from its value.

From New York Times

It’s fine to start acquiring whatever stamps strike your fancy, but to be a serious philatelist requires a more focused approach and the research required to understand stamps in a historical context.

From New York Times

In her early days at the museum, where she has worked since 2013, Sigle recalls watching an elderly philatelist and two young children help each other find stamps.

From Washington Post