pamphlet

noun

unbound booklet containing text

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /ˈpæmflɪt/ / /-flət/ / /ˈpænflɪt/

noun

Etymology: The noun is derived from Late Middle English pamflet, pamphilet (“short written text; small book; tract”) [and other forms], from Middle French Pamphilet (compare Late Latin (Anglo-Latin) pamfletus, panfletus, paunflettus (“short written text”), Old French Panfilès), a popular shorthand for the 12th-century Latin love poem Pamphilus, seu de amore (Pamphilus, or On Love): the widely circulated pamphlets then gave this name to the whole phenomenon. Pamphilet is derived from Latin Pamphilus, the name of a protagonist of the poem + Middle French -et (suffix forming diminutive masculine nouns); while Pamphilus is from Ancient Greek Πάμφιλος (Pámphilos, literally “beloved by all”), from παν- (pan-, prefix meaning ‘all; every’) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *peh₂- (“to protect; to shepherd”)) + φῐ́λος (phĭ́los, “beloved, dear”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰil- (“decent; friendly; good; harmonious”)). For the Middle French and Old French use of the suffix -et to form shorthands for the titles of works, compare Middle French Avionet (“the fables of Avianus”) from Avianus; Middle French Catonet, Old French Chatonnet, Chatonez (“the Distichs of Cato”) from Caton (they were formerly believed to be by Cato); and Old French Esopet, Isopet (“Aesop’s Fables”) from Ésope (Aesop). The verb is derived from the noun.

A small, brief printed work, consisting either of a folded sheet of paper, or several sheets bound together into a booklet with only a paper cover, formerly containing literary compositions, newsletters, and newspapers, but now chiefly informational matter.
“His gayeſt flooriſhes are but Gaſcoignes Weedes, or Tarletons trickes, or Greenes crankes, or Marlowes bravadoes; his jeſts, but the dregges of common ſcurrilitie, or the ſhreds of the Theater, or the of-ſcouring of new pamflets: […]”
“I happened, I know not how, to ſay that a pamphlet meant a proſe piece. [Samuel] Johnson. "No, Sir. A few ſheets of poetry unbound are a pamphlet, as much as a few ſheets of proſe." [Samuel] Musgrave. "A pamphlet may be underſtood to mean a poetical piece, in Weſtminſter-Hall, that is in formal language; but in common language it is underſtood to mean proſe." Johnson. (and here was one of the many inſtances of his knowing clearly and telling exactly how a thing is) "A pamphlet is underſtood in common language to mean proſe, only from this, that there is ſo much more proſe written than poetry; as when we ſay a book, proſe is underſtood for the ſame reaſon, though a book may as well be in poetry as in proſe. We underſtand what is moſt general, and we name what is leſs frequent."”
Such a work containing political material or discussing matters of controversy.
“So far is it from the kenne of theſe wretched projectors of ours that beſcraull their Pamflets every day with new formes of government for our Church.”
“[…] Miniſters are ſo wiſe to leave their Proceedings to be accounted for by Reaſoners at a Diſtance, who often mould them into Syſtems, that do not only go down very well in the Coffee-Houſe, but are Supplies for Pamphlets in the preſent Age, and may probably furniſh Materials for Memoirs and Hiſtories in the next.”
A brief handwritten work.
“Christ now to Thee I crye of mercy and of grace and graunt of Thy goodnes to every maner reder ful understandyng in this leude pamflet to have, and let no man wene other cause in this werke that is verily the soth.”
“And heere I cast vnto my purpoos / Out of Frenssh a tale to translate, / Which in a paunflet I radde & sauh but late.”

verb

To distribute pamphlets (to someone or some place).
“Is not This a Seaſonable and Wholeſome Doctrine, d'ye think, to publiſh to the Multitude at this time of day, when they are Preacht and Pamphletted into Tinder already; And the Leaſt ſpark hazzards the Putting of 'em All in a flame?”
“We are pamphleted on the subject until we are weary.”
To write about (someone or something) in a pamphlet; to issue (some material) in the form of a pamphlet.
“How many Honourable, and Loyall Gentlemen; Nay the Flower of the Nobility, have been Pamphleted up and down the Nation like ſo many Shrewing-Cocks, for every Cur to lift up his Leg and Piſs againſt; as the Betrayers of the Liberties of the Nation, when, Effectually, they were next under God himſelf, the Preſervers of 'em: […]”
“This Diſcourse being Pamphleted about, to Court, City and Country, open'd a door to the Reformation intended, and ſhut out all thoſe prejudices it might lie under from the State, and Religion of Fore-fathers, &c.”
To distribute pamphlets.
“Five Swarthmore students, including Wittman, were arrested and fined thirty-four dollars each for pamphleting in February.”
To write or produce pamphlets.
“[…] Had you not beene ſo forvvard in the republiſhing of it, you ſhold haue had certayne Epiſtles to Orators and Poets, to inſert to the later end; As, namely, […] to the Ghoſt of Robert Greene, telling him, vvhat a coyle [tumult] there is vvith pamphleting on him after his death.”
“Two ſorts of mad-men trouble the ſtationers ſhops in Paules Church-yard: they that out of a Meere and Idle vaine-glory will euer be Pamphleting (tho their bookes beeing printed are ſcarſe worth ſo much Browne paper), and this is a very poore, and fooliſh ambition: […]”