Stamp
/stæmp/noun
A mark made by pressing something into a surface, or a tool/device used to make such a mark.
Did you know?English stamp is believed to be related to Germanic words meaning “to strike” or “to trample,” which is why it carries the feel of force rather than mere decoration.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*stampōną
“to tread, trample, or stamp down”
Old English
OE
stamian
“to stumble or stammer”
Middle English
ME
stampen
“to strike, pound, or tread down”
14th Century
English
stamp
“a blow, a mark made by pressing, or the act of stamping”
Modern English
English
stamp
“a mark, device for making a mark, or to impress by pressure”