das Häuflein
Translation
small group, small band, handful
Examples
Ein Häuflein Aufrechter blieb zurück.
A small band of upright people remained.
Nur ein Häuflein Zuschauer war gekommen.
Only a handful of spectators had come.
Grammar Patterns
a handful of ((sb./sth.)) Only a handful of people attended the meeting.
a small group of ((sb./sth.)) A small group of children played in the park.
Similar Words
Gruppe (group), Schar (band, flock), Handvoll (handful)
Etymology
A diminutive form of 'Haufen' (heap, crowd) using the suffix '-lein'. It literally translates to 'little heap' or 'little crowd'.
Memory Tips
Visualize a 'little heap' of people. The suffix '-lein' is a common way to denote something small in German, like 'booklet' from 'book'.