pamphlet
UK: ˈpæmflət | US: ˈpæmflət
n. A small, unbound booklet or leaflet, typically containing informational or promotional material.
pamphlet = pamph<small book> + let<diminutive suffix>
- pamph<small book>: Derived from the Medieval Latin Pamphilus, the title of a popular 12th-century love poem, which became synonymous with short, unbound texts.
- let<diminutive suffix>: An English suffix indicating something small (e.g., booklet, leaflet).
Etymology Origin:
The word pamphlet traces back to Pamphilus, seu de Amore ("Pamphilus, or On Love"), a humorous Latin poem widely circulated in pamphlet form. Over time, the name Pamphilus was shortened to pamph and combined with the diminutive -let, reflecting the small, informal nature of such texts. The evolution highlights how a specific literary work’s format generalized into a term for any brief, unbound publication.
The museum handed out a free pamphlet about the exhibition.
She wrote a pamphlet advocating for environmental conservation.
Political pamphlets were distributed during the rally.
The pamphlet contained step-by-step instructions for assembling the furniture.
He collected antique pamphlets from the 18th century.