mustache

noun

mus·​tache ˈmə-ˌstash  (ˌ)mə-ˈstash 

variants or less commonly moustache

1

: the hair growing on the human upper lip

especially : such hair grown and often trimmed in a particular style

his long mustache combed and waxed

—Henry Petroski

2

: hair or bristles about the mouth of a mammal

mustached adjective

or less commonly moustached

ˈmə-ˌstasht 

(ˌ)mə-ˈstasht

Examples of mustache in a Sentence

He used a small pair of scissors to trim his mustache.

He decided to grow a mustache.

The actor was wearing a false mustache.

Recent Examples on the Web

Meanwhile, Travis sported Gomez' classic striped suit, pencil mustache and slicked back black hair and even carried the character's signature cigar. —Raven Brunner, People.com, 1 Nov. 2024

Declan, quite a serious character in the novel, proceeds to drink obscene amounts of whiskey and smoke intellectually in the bath, glowering beneath his mustache. —Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 1 Nov. 2024

My son and his fiancee are insisting that my other son, as a groomsman, shave his mustache. —Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2024

But when the actor playing Judge Brack, the play’s lustful old bachelor, emerged from the wings with his walking stick, eyeglass and thick mustache, the house erupted in jeers and boos. —Tomas Weber, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle French moustache, from Old Italian mustaccio, from Middle Greek moustaki, diminutive of Greek mystak-, mystax upper lip, mustache

First Known Use

1585, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing mustache

• Fu Manchu mustache
• handlebar mustache

Kids Definition

mustache

noun

mus·​tache

variants also moustache

ˈməs-ˌtash,

(ˌ)məs-ˈtash

1

: the hair growing on the human upper lip

2

: hair or bristles about the mouth of a mammal (as a walrus)