stamp

stamp — noun

1. A small adhesive label from the post office that you fix to a letter or parcel t

1.nounA1
Definition

A small adhesive label from the post office that you fix to a letter or parcel to pay for sending it.

Example

Kenji bought a book of international stamps at the post office counter this morning.

collocation: book of stamps / at the post office

Each envelope needs a first-class stamp before you drop it into the mailbox.

Common collocations
  • book of stamps
  • first-class stamp
  • put a stamp on
  • stick a stamp on
Synonyms
  • postage

    more formal, usually in the phrase 'postage paid' or 'postage stamp'

  • sticker

    any adhesive label, not specific to postal service

Grammar Patterns

stamp + on [letter/package]

Common Mistakes

I need a stamp paper for the envelope.
I need a stamp for the envelope.
'stamp paper' is not a natural phrase; simply say 'a stamp'.

2. A small device with raised letters or a design, used with ink to print a mark on

2.nounB1
Definition

A small device with raised letters or a design, used with ink to print a mark onto paper, or the ink mark that this tool leaves behind.

Example

The hotel receptionist used a rubber stamp to mark my receipt as paid.

collocation: rubber stamp

Adisa checked the red stamp on the invoice to confirm the date of payment.

Common collocations
  • rubber stamp
  • company stamp
  • date stamp
  • ink stamp
  • passport stamp
Synonyms
  • seal

    usually pressed without ink, creating a raised impression

  • imprint

    the mark itself, not the tool; more formal

Grammar Patterns

stamp + on [surface]

Usage Note

This sense covers both the tool (rubber stamp, date stamp) and the resulting mark. Context usually makes the meaning clear.

Common Mistakes

I need a stamp on my passport for the visa.
I need a stamp in my passport for the visa.
the preposition 'in' is more natural for passport stamps.

3. An official slip of paper of a set value, bought to confirm a government charge

3.nounB2
Definition

An official slip of paper of a set value, bought to confirm a government charge has been paid, or redeemable for goods over a period.

Example

Many families received food stamps to help buy groceries during the economic crisis.

food stamps

The stamp on the cigarette packet shows the duty has been paid to the government.

tax stamp

Common collocations
  • food stamp
  • tax stamp
  • revenue stamp
  • gift stamp
  • trading stamp
Synonyms
  • voucher

    exchangeable for goods or services, but not evidence of tax payment

  • coupon

    gives a discount rather than serving as payment

Usage Note

Commonly appears in compounds like 'food stamp,' 'tax stamp,' 'revenue stamp,' and 'gift stamp.' The meaning depends on the first word of the compound.

4. A clear sign or quality that shows the influence, origin, or nature of a particu

4.nounB2
Definition

A clear sign or quality that shows the influence, origin, or nature of a particular person, group, or thing — for example, a garden having the stamp of a skilled designer.

Example

The garden had the stamp of Eleni's careful planning in every flower bed.

the stamp of [someone's] [noun]

Mateo's pottery carries the stamp of his grandmother's careful teaching in every curved bowl.

Common collocations
  • the stamp of authority
  • the stamp of genius
  • the stamp of personality
  • bear the stamp of
  • carry the stamp of
Synonyms
  • mark

    less specific; can refer to any visible effect

  • hallmark

    stronger suggestion of excellence or a recognized standard

Grammar Patterns

the stamp of [quality/person]

Usage Note

Typically used in the fixed pattern 'the stamp of [someone/something]' followed by a quality noun (genius, authority, personality). Almost always singular.

5. The action of bringing the foot down heavily on the ground, or the sound this ma

5.nounB1
Definition

The action of bringing the foot down heavily on the ground, or the sound this makes, often to show anger, impatience, or a strong feeling.

Example

A toddler gave a loud stamp of the foot when her mother refused another cookie.

Christopher's angry stamp echoed through the empty hall after the argument.

Common collocations
  • a stamp of the foot
  • angry stamp
  • loud stamp
Synonyms
  • stomp

    less formal; more common in American English

  • thud

    describes the sound only, not the action

Usage Note

Often appears with a possessive ('his stamp,' 'her stamp') or in the phrase 'a stamp of the foot.' The verb form is much more common for this meaning.

Idioms

stamp of approval

idiom

An official or public statement that something is considered good, acceptable, or correct, or the act of giving such approval.

The new policy received the government's stamp of approval after months of careful debate.

Eleni gave the design her personal stamp of approval before it went into production.

rubber stamp

idiom

A person or committee that approves decisions or documents without proper consideration or discussion, or the act of doing so.

The committee was just a rubber stamp for the chairman's ideas and made no real changes.

Critics accused the council of being a rubber stamp for the developer's plans.

stamp — verb

Word family

  • stamper
    nounB2
  • stamping
    adjectiveB1
  • unstamped
    adjectiveB2
  • postage stamp
    nounA1
  • rubber stamp
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words refer to something you stick onto a surface, but they differ in purpose. A 'stamp' is specifically a small adhesive label bought from a postal service and attached to mail as proof of payment for delivery. 'Postage' is a more formal term that refers to the charge itself ('postage paid'), though 'postage stamp' is the full official name of a stamp. 'Sticker' is a general term for any adhesive paper or vinyl item that sticks onto a surface, often used for decoration or information — a stamp is technically a type of sticker, but calling a stamp a 'sticker' would sound odd to a native speaker because 'sticker' lacks the postal meaning. 'Label' usually refers to a piece of paper or fabric attached to an object to show its contents, price, destination, or other details — such as a shipping label on a package. A shipping label contains the address information, while the stamp pays for delivery. In short: use 'stamp' when the purpose is postal payment, 'sticker' for general adhesive items, and 'label' for identification or instruction tags.

stamp ↗postage ↗stickerlabel ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

GermanicOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'stamp' entered English from Old French 'estamper' meaning 'to stamp, to trample,' which in turn came from a Germanic root related to 'stamp' and 'step.' The original sense was about pressing or treading heavily with the foot. By the 16th century, the noun was used for the tool that presses a mark onto a surface, and later for the postage stamp (first used in the 1840s when the modern postal system began). The figurative sense of 'marking with a quality' grew out of the physical idea of impressing a seal. The phrasal verb 'stamp out' began as a literal action — extinguishing a fire by stamping on it — and later broadened to mean 'put an end to something undesirable.'