hamlet
HAM-let
/ˈhæmlət/
A small settlement, generally one smaller than a village, and strictly (in Britain) one without a church.
Implies extreme smallness and isolation.
The story behind the word. The word comes from the Old French 'hamel', which is a diminutive of 'ham' (meaning home or village). The suffix '-et' makes it even smaller—literally a 'little, little village.'
Word relationships
- village: A village is larger and usually has more facilities like a shop or church.
- settlement: A more general and less descriptive term.
- metropolis: A very large city.
Commonly confused with
- Hamlet: Capitalized, 'Hamlet' is the famous play by Shakespeare; lowercase, it's a tiny village.
Word family
- hamlet (noun): A small settlement.
Collocations
- tiny hamlet
- remote hamlet
- isolated hamlet
Example sentences
- "The hamlet consisted of only five houses and a single narrow road that led into the woods." Describing a tiny settlement.
- "They lived in a remote hamlet high in the mountains, miles from the nearest shop." Describing a remote location.
Memory hook
A 'ham' (home) that is 'let' (small). A tiny little home-cluster.
When not to use
Do not use for a town or even a medium-sized village.
Fun facts
- In some parts of the US, 'hamlet' is a specific legal designation for a small unincorporated community.
- The word 'home' and 'hamlet' share the same ancient Germanic root.
Related words
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