"Coupon" Defined
The word "coupon" first appeared in the early 1800s France as 'colpon'. According to Random House Unabridged Dictionary, from 1815 to 1825, French metallurgists (men who separated metal from ore) gave their customers samples of their metals to test for purity, strength, and other qualities. They called the samples colpon, Old French meaning "piece cut off." (Do 21st century metallurgists offer free samples as a way to advertise their products? If so, it's unlikely they call them "pieces cut off.")
Colpon comes from the Old French word colper, to cut, which means the same thing in modern French, but it is now spelled couper. (Replace the "t" in toupee with a "k," and you have couper.) Couper, an action, led to the word coupon, a thing, a portion that is cut off.
When did "Coupon" Appear in the English Language?
The first recorded English use of the word coupon appears in British author Bernard Cohen's 1822 text entitled Compendium of Finance, which has possibly the longest subtitle in history: Containing an account of the origin, progress, and present state, of the public debts, revenue, expenditure, national banks and currencies, of France, Russia, Prussia, the Netherlands, Austria, Naples, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Norway, Hanover, and other German states, U. S. of America, Buenos Ayres, Columbia, and Chili. Cohen used "coupon" to refer to "a certificate that was detachable from a principal certificate, that could be could be exchanged for interest or dividend payments by the holder of the principal certificate [sometimes called coupon bond]."
What Does Coupon Mean in the 21st Century?
Since the late 1800s, the definition of coupon has continued to expand. According to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language it means:
"a. One of a set of detachable certificates that may be torn off and redeemed as needed: a food coupon.
b. A detachable part, as of a ticket or advertisement, that entitles the bearer to certain benefits, such as a cash refund or gift.
c. A certificate accompanying a product that may be redeemed for a cash discount.
d. A printed form, as in an advertisement, to be used as an order blank or for requesting information or obtaining a discount on merchandise."
What Does Coupon Mean to Retailers and Consumers?
David P. Bianco, in ReferenceForBusiness.com, says "Coupons are certificates with a stated value that consumers can redeem with retailers or manufacturers when they make appropriate purchases. They are offered mainly by retailers and manufacturers as sales promotion tools to accomplish specific sales and marketing goals." Most retailers and manufactures would agree with Bianco.
References
• The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. 4th ed.
• MyEtymology. (accessed Dec. 15, 2009).
• Random House Unabridged Dictionary. 2nd ed.
• Small Business Encyclopedia. (accessed Dec. 15, 2009).