Suffix · forms nouns
From French "-elet": forms diminutives of small or secondary things. Droplet, rivulet, hamlet, islet, booklet, leaflet, inlet, outlet.
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
-let comes from French "-elet" (double diminutive: -el + -et) and forms nouns denoting something smaller or of lesser importance than the base form. booklet = a small book, a pamphlet (book + let). droplet = a very small drop (drop + let). rivulet = a small stream (from French "riviere" + let). islet = a small island (isle + let). piglet = a young pig (pig + let).
"rivulet" = a small stream: "a rivulet of water ran down the rock." Very common in descriptive and poetic prose. C2. "hamlet" = 1. a very small village (hamlet = home + let = small collective home). 2. The Prince of Denmark in Shakespeare's play (c. 1600). When the context is geographical, hamlet = village; when theatrical, Hamlet = the character. "islet" = a small island: "a tiny islet off the coast." In medicine: "islets of Langerhans" = the pancreatic cells that produce insulin.
"starlet" = a young actress aspiring to stardom: "a Hollywood starlet." Has a slight connotation of inexperience or superficiality. Can be used ironically in modern English. "inlet" = a narrow body of water reaching into land (in + let = an entry). Also: an air or fluid intake on a machine. "outlet" = an exit or release point (out + let). Very widely used: "emotional outlet" = a means of releasing emotions. "outlet mall" = a discount shopping centre (AmE). "power outlet" = an electrical socket.
Noun + let. Produces diminutives of things (unlike -ling, which favours living beings).
Unlike -ling (which forms diminutives of living things), -let mostly forms diminutives of objects. leaflet = small leaf / pamphlet / political flyer. piglet = young pig (exception: living being).
-let/lɪt/ · rhymes with sit
Tap the button to hear how the ending sounds. Each word in the table has its own audio.
"They live in a tiny hamlet in the hills." Hamlet (lowercase) is a common noun meaning a very small village. Hamlet (capital) is the Prince of Denmark. They are homonyms.
"emotional outlet" = a means of releasing emotions. "outlet mall" = a discount shopping centre (AmE). "water outlet" = a drainage point. Context determines the meaning.
"leaflet" in modern English = a printed flyer or pamphlet. "a campaign leaflet." "hand out leaflets." For a tree leaf: use "leaf." Do not take the diminutive meaning literally.
A trick to remember it
-let = a small or secondary thing. Literary: rivulet (small stream), hamlet (small village), islet (small island). Modern: droplet, booklet, leaflet (flyer), outlet (release/exit). Medical: islets of Langerhans = insulin-producing pancreatic cells.
Exercise 1 · Form the word
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
"hamlet" (lowercase) means...
Exercise 3 · Pick the right one
An "emotional outlet" is...
The suffix -let from French "-elet": forms diminutives of small or secondary things. Droplet, rivulet, hamlet, islet, booklet, leaflet, inlet, outlet. In Spanish it usually maps to -ito / -illo / small.
The ending -let is pronounced /lɪt/ · rhymes with sit. For example, "droplet".
"drop" becomes "droplet". It is a typical example of the -let suffix.
From Old French "-erie": forms nouns of activity, place, collective quality or state. Chivalry, trickery, wizardry, bravery, mockery.
From Middle Dutch "-kijn" (little): forms diminutives, often archaic or literary. Lambkin, catkin, napkin, bodkin, bumpkin, manikin, firkin, gherkin, pumpkin.
From Old English "-ling": forms diminutives of young creatures, small beings or subordinate persons. Duckling, fledgling, sibling, underling, changeling.
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