postillon

See also: Postillon

French

Etymology

From Italian postiglione.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pɔs.ti.jɔ̃/

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

postillon m (plural postillons)

1. (historical) postman (courier who rides post)
2. postilion
3. (historical) a French-style hat worn by the postal workers
4. (colloquial) drop of spittle, drop of saliva
   • 2014, Édouard Louis, En finir avec Eddy Bellegueule [The End of Eddy], Le Seuil:

     Et leur haleine avinée quand ils me parlaient et couvraient mon visage de postillons, comme peuvent le faire des hommes ivres, des hommes qui, chaque fois, sans presque jamais déroger à la règle, finissaient par exprimer leur haine des homosexuels.

     And the smell of drink on their breath when they spoke to me and covered my face in spittle, as drunk men often do; men who, every time, almost without fail, end up expressing their hatred of homosexuals.

Derived terms

• postillonner

Further reading

• “postillon”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Middle French

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian postiglione.

Noun

postillon m (plural postillons)

1. postilion (horse driver)
   • 1560, Clement Marot, Œuvres de Clement Marot

     Là vint un postillion
     Qui m'aportoit guillon

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)