Added 9 October 2026
mallet
/ˈmælɪt/ noun
In Latin: malleus, tudes Wiktionary
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about mallet at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- A sports implement with a long handle and a head like a hammer; used in sports (polo or croquet) to hit a ball.
- A light drumstick with a rounded head that is used to strike such percussion instruments as chimes, kettledrums, marimbas, glockenspiels, etc.
- A tool resembling a hammer but with a large head (usually wooden); used to drive wedges or ram down paving stones or for crushing or beating or flattening or smoothing.
Origin
Inherited from Middle English maylet, borrowed from Old French maillet, from mail + -et.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)