"stamp-collecting, the fancy for collecting and classifying postage-stamps and revenue stamps," 1865, from French philatélie, coined by French stamp collector Georges Herpin (in "Le Collectionneur de Timbres-poste," Nov. 15, 1864), from Greek phil- "loving" (see philo-) + atelēs "free from tax or charge," which was the ancient Greek word Herpin found that most nearly matched the concept of what a postage stamp does (from a- "without," see a- (3), + telos "tax;" see toll (n.)).

It is a reminder of the original function of postage stamps: the cost of letter-carrying formerly was paid by the recipient; a stamp indicated that carriage had been pre-paid by the sender, thus indicating to the recipient's postmaster that the letter so stamped was "carriage-free."

It is a pity that for one of the most popular scientific pursuits one of the least popularly intelligible names should have been found. [Fowler]

Stampomania (1865) also was tried. Also from French were timbrology "science or study of postage stamps" (1865), from French timbre "stamp," apparently the same word as timbre. Also timbromanie (1863), the French word for "stamp-collecting mania." Stamp-collecting itself is attested from 1862. Related: Philatelic; philatelism; philatelist.

Middle English staf, "stick or pole," especially one about 5 or 6 feet long and carried in the hand, from Old English stæf (plural stafas), "walking stick, strong pole used for carrying, rod used as a weapon, pastoral staff," probably originally *stæb, from Proto-Germanic *stab- (source also of Old Saxon staf, Old Norse stafr, Danish stav, Old Frisian stef, Middle Low German and Middle Dutch staf, Old High German stab, German Stab, Gothic *stafs "element;" Middle Dutch stapel "pillar, foundation").

This is reconstructed to be from PIE root *stebh- "post, stem, to support, place firmly on, fasten" (source also of Old Lithuanian stabas "idol," Lithuanian stiebas "staff, pillar;" Old Church Slavonic stoboru "pillar;" Sanskrit stabhnati "supports;" Greek stephein "to tie around, encircle, wreathe," staphyle "grapevine, bunch of grapes;" Old English stapol "post, pillar"). It is thus thought to be not connected to stiff.

Many extended senses are from the notion of "that which upholds or supports, that which sustains" such as staff of life "bread," from the Biblical phrase break the staff of bread meaning "cut off the supply of food" (Leviticus xxvi.26), translating Hebrew matteh lekhem. As "pole from which a flag is flown," 1610s. In reference to the horizontal lines in musical notation, from 1660s.

Sense of "group of military officers that assists a commander but are not in charge of troops" is attested from 1702, apparently from German, from the notion of the baton that is a badge of office or authority (a sense attested in English from 1530s); hence staff officer (1702), staff-sergeant (1811). In this sense staffs is the usual plural. The meaning "group of employees (as at an office or hospital)" is attested by 1837.

Old English stæf, in plural, was the common word for "letter of the alphabet, character," hence "writing, literature," and its use in Old English compounds having to do with writing, such as stæfcræft "grammar," stæfcræftig "lettered," stæflic "literary," stæfleahtor "grammatical error," with leahtor "vice, sin, offense."

1879, "instrument for stamping by hand with ink, having letters or numbers cast in vulcanized rubber," from rubber (n.1) + stamp (n.). The figurative sense of "thing or institution whose power is formal but not real" is by 1901 (on the notion of rubber-stamping "approved" or some such thing on everything given to it by the real powers). The verb is by 1889; in the figurative sense by 1912. As an adjective by 1931. Related: Rubber-stamped; rubber-stamping.

1836 (also in early use stampedo, 1839; stampiado, 1828), "A general scamper of animals on the Western prairies, generally caused by a fright" [Bartlett], especially among cattle or horses, from Mexican Spanish estampida, a particular use of Spanish estampida "an uproar, crash, loud report," from estamper "to stamp, press, pound," from Provençal estampier "to stamp," from the same Germanic root that yielded English stamp (v.).

In figurative reference to a sudden rush or flight of humans, by 1836 in U.S. politics.

Boldly and bravely have we fought for you—and great has been our botheration and trouble—and after all you took a stampede, and rushed away from us, leaving us to fight alone. ["Arkansas Advocate," Little Rock, Aug. 12, 1836]

by 1803, American English, a dialectal variant of stamp (v.). Related: Stomped; stomping. Noun meaning "lively social dance" is recorded by 1912 in jazz slang. Stompers "large, heavy shoes" is by 1899. Stomping-ground "one's particular territory" is by 1854, American English, from animals.

1888, "mechanical device for stamping letters, etc., with the date of receipt," from time (n.) + stamp (n.). As a verb by 1906. Related: Time-stamped.