Hamlet

/ˈhæmlət/ noun

Definition

A very small village, much smaller than a town, usually with just a few houses and farms.

Etymology

From Old French 'hamelet,' a diminutive of 'ham' (village), which came from Germanic roots. The suffix '-let' means 'small,' so literally it means 'a small village.'

Kelly Says

Shakespeare named his tragic prince Hamlet to suggest he was 'small' or insignificant, though his internal struggles became anything but small—the name itself is a clever pun on the character's place and importance.

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