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 of hamlet

Noun (1)

• village

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

This hamlet is Liguria reduced to its essence, with a coastline flanked by the requisite colored stone fishermen’s houses, and tranquil bays—Prelo, Trelo, and Pomaro--rimmed by sand and pebble beaches. — Catherine Sabino, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026

Nearby Montefioralle—officially recognized as one of Italy's most beautiful villages—is worth a detour, as is Volpaia, a near-intact medieval hamlet around 20 minutes to the north. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Aug. 2026

Noun

Founded by Puritans from the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630, Boston got its name from a hamlet in Lincolnshire, England. — Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 June 2026

With far less hair, Ella’s green eyes seemed greener, like those of the feral black cats that roamed their hamlet, meowing for table scraps, which were often given without hesitation. — Literary Hub, 18 June 2026

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