leaflet

1 of 2

noun

leaf·​let ˈlēf-lət How to pronounce leaflet (audio)
1
a
: one of the divisions of a compound leaf
b
: a small or young foliage leaf
2
: a leaflike organ or part (such as one of the flaps of a heart valve)
3
: a usually folded printed sheet intended for free distribution

leaflet

2 of 2

verb

leafleted or leafletted; leafleting or leafletting

intransitive verb

: to hand out leaflets

transitive verb

: to hand out leaflets to

Examples of leaflet in a Sentence

Noun Protesters were handing out leaflets condemning the government's environmental policies. the company hires college students to work the phones and distribute leaflets for its clients Verb We spent the morning leafleting.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The Israeli Air Force was set to begin dropping leaflets on parts of Rafah on Monday, two Israeli sources said, amid preparations for a ground offensive into Gaza’s southernmost city where more than 1 million people are sheltering. Jeremy Diamond, CNN, 15 Apr. 2024 There was no advice leaflet or support group for VTS, and internet articles were clinical, sparse on detail. TIME, 6 Feb. 2024 While Israel’s military is surely not perfect, the IDF demonstrably strives to preserve innocent civilian life, even to the extent of dropping leaflets warning civilians to evacuate before its airstrikes. Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 25 Jan. 2024 An official leaflet about the proposal said the new law should complement and converge with the one imposed by Beijing. TIME, 19 Mar. 2024 Sensing an opportunity, Mexico began a counter-propaganda strategy by sending leaflets to U.S. soldiers, namely Irish and Germans, to plead for their cause. Sarah Quiñones Wolfson, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2024 David Clohessy, former national director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, went to Wayne County a week ago to hand out leaflets and talk to residents about the concerns raised after the recent runaways. Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 3 Mar. 2024 Both mirrors are gold, and both have that classic leaflet scroll at the top. Christianna Silva, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Feb. 2024 These warnings were posted online almost every day in December, accompanied by leaflets and phone calls. Victoria Beaule, ABC News, 25 Jan. 2024
Verb
Selecting and cutting above a bud eye (or leaflet set) that is outward-facing prompts the rose to grow in an outward direction. Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Jan. 2023 Workers who favor unionization, by contrast, seldom are allowed even to leaflet on company property. Timothy Noah, The New Republic, 8 Apr. 2022 The rules allowing speeches and leafleting in only one section of the park, as well as the sidewalks, were issued in April 2019. chicagotribune.com, 24 Sep. 2019 About 100 Stanford students leafleted on the Peninsula trains, with mixed results, The Chronicle reported. Bill Van Niekerken, SFChronicle.com, 9 Oct. 2019 Another article lashed out at South Korean authorities for allowing defectors to send anti-North Korea leaflets across their border. Fox News, 23 May 2018 Yet another article lashed out at South Korean authorities for allowing defectors to send anti-North Korea leaflets across their border. Eric Talmadge, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 May 2018 The North quickly matched the South’s action with its own border broadcasts and launches of balloons carrying anti-South Korea leaflets across the border. BostonGlobe.com, 23 Apr. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'leaflet.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1777, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1962, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of leaflet was in 1777

Dictionary Entries Near leaflet

Cite this Entry

“Leaflet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leaflet. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

leaflet

noun
leaf·​let
ˈlē-flət
1
a
: one of the divisions of a compound leaf see leaf illustration
b
: a small or young leaf
2
: a usually folded printed sheet intended for free distribution

Medical Definition

leaflet

noun
leaf·​let ˈlē-flət How to pronounce leaflet (audio)
: a leaflike organ, structure, or part
lipid molecules in a bimolecular leaflet
especially : any of the flaps of the biscuspid valve or the tricuspid valve

Legal Definition

leaflet

1 of 2 noun
leaf·​let
: a usually folded printed sheet intended for free distribution

leaflet

2 of 2 intransitive verb
leafleted; leafletted; leafleting or leafletting
: to hand out leaflets
invalidated an ordinance banning all leafletingDavid Kairys

More from Merriam-Webster on leaflet

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