English Reference
Noun

handout

n.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˈhænˌdaʊt/ UK /hˈændaʊt/ hand·out UK spelling handouts

n.a piece of paper with information or instructions that you give to a group of people. It is also a slang word for giving someone money or drugs for free.

n.a printed sheet of information or instructions distributed to a group; also, a slang term for the act of providing money or drugs without charge.


SIMPLE

The teacher gave us a handout before the test.

CONTEXTUAL

The charity provides a handout to every family in the neighborhood during the winter months.

COMPLEX

While the official handout was meant to clarify the new policy, many employees found the language too technical to understand without further explanation.

This handout image released by the National Park Service shows a storm system moving across the North Rim of Grand Canyon national park on 29 August.

The Guardian· 1 Sept 2026

I wrote my first book as a handout to go with the first television series I wrote and presented on my own – Don’t Die Young on BBC Two.

The Guardian· 21 Aug 2026

Deverbal from hand out.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated