hamlet
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
a very small village or a group of houses in the countryside.
a small rural settlement, traditionally defined in British English as a village without its own church.
Simple“They lived in a tiny hamlet with only ten houses and no shops.”
In context“The hikers passed through several remote hamlets, each consisting of little more than a few stone cottages and a communal well.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a famous play by William Shakespeare about a prince of Denmark.
a tragedy by William Shakespeare, widely considered one of the most influential works in English literature.
Simple“We are studying Hamlet in our English literature class this semester.”
In context“The actor's portrayal of Hamlet was praised for its psychological depth and modern interpretation of the prince's indecision.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
the main character in Shakespeare's play who wants to avenge his father.
the eponymous protagonist of Shakespeare's tragedy, the Prince of Denmark.
Simple“Hamlet is famous for his long speeches where he talks to himself.”
In context“Scholars have long debated whether Hamlet's madness was genuine or a calculated performance to deceive his uncle.”
- 04 C2 Proficiency
a small community that does not have its own local government.
an unincorporated community or administrative division, specifically used in certain Canadian and American jurisdictions.
Simple“The hamlet is too small to have its own mayor or police force.”
In context“Under provincial law, the hamlet remained an unincorporated territory managed by the larger municipal district.”
Synonyms
“But authorities have lifted all evacuation orders in the border region since Wednesday, allowing the residents of several Belgian hamlets and a town on the German border to return home.”
“This short documentary is an oddly endearing portrait of Torrington, a hamlet in Alberta, Canada, and the institution at its heart: the World Famous Gopher Hole Museum.”
From Latin Amlethus, as written by 13th-century Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus, and borrowed into English by way of François de Belleforest's French Hamlet, originally rendered as Hamblet in English. Ultimately from Old Danish Amlethæ, corresponding to Old Norse Amlóði (“fool”), claimed to be suggestive of the way that Hamlet acts in the play, from ama (“to annoy”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.