Etymology Dictionary

PAMPHLET,  a small book, of a few sheets stitched together.  (F.?)   Spelt pamflet, Testament of Love, pt. iii. near the end, ed. 1561, fol. 317 b, col. 1; pamphlet in Shak. 1 Hen VI, iii. 1. 2.   [The mod. F. pamphlet is borrowed from English (Littré).]   Of unknown origin, but presumably French, as it occurs in the Test. of Love.   ¶ Three theories concerning it may be mentioned.   1. From O.F. paume, the palm of the hand, and fueillet, 'a leafe of a book' (Cot.); as though it were a leaf of paper held in the hand.   Suggested by Pegge; see Todd's Johnson.   2. 'From Span. papelete [Neuman only gives papeleta], a written slip of paper, a written newspaper; by the insertion of the nasal, as in Du. pampier, paper;' Wedgwood.   But we did not borrow Span. words in the 14th century.   3. Rather, as I think, from Lat. Pamphila, a female historian of the first century, who wrote numerous epitomes; see Suidas, Aul. Gellius, xv. 17, 23; Diog. Laertius, in life of Pittacus.   Hence might come O.F. pamfilet*, an epitome, and M.E. pamflet.   Cf. F. pamphile, a name for the knave of clubs (Littré), due to the Gk. name Pamphilus.   Der. pamphlet-eer, Bp. Hall, Satires, b. ii. sat. 1, l. 30; pamphlet-eer-ing. [†]

ADDENDA

A curious instance of Low Lat. panfletus occurs:  'Revera libros non libras maluimus, codicesque plusquam florenos, ac panfletos exiguos incrassatis prætulimus palfridis;' Rich. de Bury, Philobiblon, c. 8.   The E. paunflet occurs in the last paragraph of a Treatise on Fishing (1496).