mallet

noun

mal·​let ˈma-lət 

: a hammer with a typically barrel-shaped head: such as

a

: a tool with a large head for driving another tool or for striking a surface without marring it

b

: a long-handled wooden implement used for striking a ball (as in polo or croquet)

c

: a light hammer with a small rounded or spherical usually padded head used in playing certain musical instruments (such as a vibraphone)

Examples of mallet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The precursor of the xylophone and marimba, a balafon is made by carefully cutting 21 wooden slats into different lengths, fixing them atop hallow calabashes, and striking them with mallets wound with the gum and sap of a rubber tree. —Eliot Stein, Rolling Stone, 9 Dec. 2024

Walker showed me a video of the fingers surviving blows from a mallet. —James Somers, The New Yorker, 25 Nov. 2024

Place a piece of plastic wrap on top and use a meat mallet to flatten. —Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2024

Pound using a meat mallet to about 1/2-inch thickness. —Tricia Manzanero Stuedeman, Southern Living, 27 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English maillet, from Anglo-French, diminutive of mail hammer — more at maul

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

mallet

noun

mal·​let ˈmal-ət 

: a hammer usually with a barrel-shaped head: as

a

: one with a large head used for driving a tool (as a chisel) or for striking a surface without damaging it

b

: a club for striking a ball (as in croquet or polo)