handout

American  

[hand-out] / ˈhændˌaʊt /

noun

1. a portion of food or the like given to a needy person, as a beggar.

2. press release.

3. any printed, typed, mimeographed, or photocopied copy of information, as a speech, policy statement, or fact sheet given to reporters, attendees at a meeting, or the like.

4. anything given away for nothing, as a free sample of a product by an advertiser.

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Etymology

Origin of handout

First recorded in 1880–85 handout for def. 1 and in 1905–10 handout for def. 2; noun use of verb phrase hand out

Example Sentences

And while a government cash handout expected on Wednesday -- the first for embattled jeepney drivers -- would be welcome, "5,000 pesos … won't carry you that far," Helera said.

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

Except most of us aren’t in line for this handout.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 13, 2026

Many of these families are victims of the earthquake which badly damaged Mandalay and surrounding areas in March, and are hoping for a handout.

From BBC • Dec. 26, 2025

“He really believed if he succeeded, you were going to succeed. It wasn’t about a handout, it was a hand up.”

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 18, 2025

People stood there, shuffling their feet, reading the handout, going through their bags.

From "The Dead and the Gone" by Susan Beth Pfeffer