A hamlet is a village without a church.

The statement is true: a hamlet is geographically defined as a small settlement or village without a church. In British and European geographical terminology, the distinction between a hamlet and a village often hinges on the presence of a church. A village typically has a church (and historically formed around one), while a hamlet is too small to warrant its own church and may rely on a nearby village's religious services. This terminology persists in land-use planning and postal addressing systems in various English-speaking countries.