der Postillion, -e

Definition & meaning

der Postillion (plural: die Postillione) was historically a rider who accompanied a mail coach or carriage, usually riding one of the horses and directing them. Unlike a coachman, the Postillion generally rode on a horse rather than sitting on the carriage.

The word is mainly historical or literary today. It can also refer to a person who signals the arrival or departure of a coach by playing a post horn.

Grammar & Word origin

• Gender: masculine — der Postillion
• Plural: die Postillione
• Parts: related to die Post ↗ (“the mail/post”) and a historical term for a mounted postal servant.
• Origin: borrowed through French postillon from Italian postiglione, ultimately connected with the postal transport system.

The spelling der Postillon ↗ is also common and is often preferred in modern German.

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

• der Postillon ↗ — the more common modern spelling of the same word.
• der Postreiter ↗ — literally “postal rider”; emphasizes that the person rode a horse for the postal service.
• der Postknecht ↗ — a historical postal servant; broader in meaning and not necessarily specifically the rider guiding the horses.

There is no direct antonym, since Postillion names a historical occupation rather than a quality or action.

Common phrases & collocations

• das Postillionshorn ↗ — a post horn traditionally played by a Postillion.
• in das Posthorn blasen ↗ — to blow the post horn, signaling the arrival or departure of a coach.
• der Postillion der Postkutsche ↗ — the Postillion of the mail coach.