A typically perforated stamp in an Azerbaijani miniature sheet

Perforation means lines of punching holes made in any material. It is used in making paper objects like stamps or tickets, and along the edges of movies.

In philately, there are three types of the cutting of postage stamps for stamp separation, including:

1. Perforation, or cutting rows and columns of small holes.
2. Rouletting, or small horizontal and vertical cuts.
3. Diecutting, or cutting paper to shape using a metal die (used for self-adhesive stamps).