lístek

Lístek is a Czech noun with several related meanings that all derive from the idea of a small sheet or leaf. The form is masculine, and the diminutive suffix -ek conveys a sense of a small or handy piece of paper.

In botanical use, lístek denotes a small leaf or a leaflet, especially a part of a compound leaf. This sense is common in scientific or descriptive plant language and in field guides.

In everyday language, lístek most often refers to a small sheet of paper serving as a document or pass. Common examples include a ticket or voucher, such as a cinema lístek or a coupon lístek, and, more generally, a brief paper note that accompanies a purchase or transaction as a receipt or proof of payment.

In the context of elections, volební lístek is the ballot paper that a voter marks in order to vote. This sense is widely understood and standardized in political and administrative discourse.

Lístek can also appear in compound expressions describing small paper notes kept for memory or organizational purposes, such as reminders or inventories, though the exact meaning depends on the accompanying noun.

Etymologically, lístek is a diminutive form derived from list, meaning leaf or sheet, with the sense of a small, useful piece of paper. The word is deeply embedded in Czech everyday language and appears across botanical, administrative, and cultural contexts.