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hameau
/a.mo/
hamlet
Le village est entouré de plusieurs hameaux paisibles.
The village is surrounded by several peaceful hamlets.
neutral
A small settlement smaller than a village, typically with only a few houses.
Les hameaux de montagne sont souvent isolés et difficiles d'accès.
Mountain hamlets are often isolated and hard to reach.
Le hameau de Saint-Jean compte moins de cinquante habitants.
The hamlet of Saint-Jean has fewer than fifty inhabitants.
In French administrative terms, a 'hameau' is a smaller entity than a 'village' and may lack certain services (e.g., a church or school).
Collocations
hameau isoléremote hamlethameau de montagnemountain hamlet
Pro Tip
Avoid confusion with 'village'
'Hameau' is smaller than a 'village' in French administrative terms. A 'village' typically has more infrastructure (e.g., a church, school, or town hall), while a 'hameau' is a smaller, often rural settlement.
Word Origin
From Old French 'hamelet' (diminutive of 'ham' via Frankish *haim, meaning 'home' or 'village'), related to Old English 'hām' (home) and German 'Heim'.
Usage Notes
The term 'hameau' is often used in rural contexts and may carry a nostalgic or picturesque connotation. It is less common in modern urban contexts.
Dictionnaire Français-Anglais