postillion Definition
a person who rides the leading left-hand horse of a team or pair drawing a coach or carriage, especially when there is no coachman.
Using postillion: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "postillion" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The postillion skillfully guided the horses through the narrow streets.
Example
The coach was driven by a postillion instead of a coachman.
Example
The postillion's uniform included a distinctive hat with a plume.
postillion Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with postillion
a method of organizing and changing horses at regular intervals along a long-distance route to ensure that the journey can be completed as quickly as possible
Example
The postillion system allowed mail coaches to travel faster and more efficiently across the country.
postillionage
the practice or profession of being a postillion
Example
Postillionage was a common occupation in the 18th and 19th centuries.
a long whip used by a postillion to control the horses
Example
The postillion cracked his whip to urge the horses forward.
Origins of postillion
from French 'postillon', from 'poste' meaning post or station
Summary: postillion in Brief
The term 'postillion' [pɒˈstɪljən] refers to a person who rides the leading left-hand horse of a team or pair drawing a coach or carriage, especially when there is no coachman. It is a profession that was common in the 18th and 19th centuries, and the postillion's uniform included a distinctive hat with a plume. The postillion system was a method of organizing and changing horses at regular intervals along a long-distance route to ensure that the journey can be completed as quickly as possible.
