hamlet

1 of 2

noun (1)

ham·​let ˈham-lət 

: a small village

Hamlet

2 of 2

noun (2)

Ham·​let ˈham-lət 

: a legendary Danish prince and hero of Shakespeare's play Hamlet

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• bourg
• townlet
• vill
• village
• whistle-stop

Examples of hamlet in a Sentence

Noun (1)

she always longed to return to the quiet hamlet where she had been born

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Walnut Grove, population 814, is a Delta hamlet about 30 miles south of Sacramento, not far from Interstate 5. —David Caraccio, Sacramento Bee, 2 May 2024

Or Ravello, the hilltop hamlet that offers sweeping views of the coast and beyond. —Elise Taylor, Vogue, 1 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French hamelet, diminutive of ham village, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English hām village, home

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1601, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

hamlet

noun

ham·​let ˈham-lət 

: a small village