handout
UK[ˈhændaʊt]US[ˈhændaʊt]
n
Something such as food, clothing, or money that is given free to someone who is in need of it.
n
A document that is given to people in a class, meeting, etc., and that contains a summary of the information, topics, or instructions discussed.
Morpheme Breakdown
hand
out
hand
to give, pass
out
external, outward
Etymology
The word 'handout' is a compound noun formed from the phrasal verb 'to hand out', meaning to distribute. The literal image is of physically passing something from one's hand to another person, moving it outward. Over time, this concrete action gave its name to the items being distributed, whether material aid or informational documents. The term reflects a straightforward Germanic compounding pattern, where the combination of two common words creates a specific, utilitarian meaning for the distributed object itself.
Analysis
Structure: hand (to give, pass) + out (external, outward)
'hand' is from Old English 'hand', of Germanic origin, used here in its verbal sense of 'to give or pass'. 'out' is from Old English 'ūt', an adverb meaning 'away from the inside or center', used here to indicate distribution.
Examples
The volunteers prepared food and clothing handouts for the homeless shelter.
Please refer to the handout for a summary of the key points from today's lecture.
The organization relies on donations to provide regular handouts in the community.