A small adhesive piece of paper for mail postage; or to press forcefully with the foot or a tool to make an impression.
From Old French 'estamper' meaning to crush or pound, ultimately from Germanic roots. The postal meaning developed in the 1840s when the penny post required proof of payment, literally 'stamped' onto mail.
The world's first postage stamp, the Penny Black of 1840, revolutionized communication by making the sender rather than recipient pay for mail delivery. The word 'stamp' perfectly captured both the physical pressing action and the authoritative mark of official approval.
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