mullet

¹

[muhl-it]

noun

plural

mullet ,

plural

mullets .

1. any of several marine or freshwater, usually gray fishes of the family Mugilidae, having a nearly cylindrical body.

2. a goatfish.

3. a sucker, especially of the genus Moxostoma.

mullet

²

Also mol·et
Also

[muhl-it]

noun

Heraldry.

1. a starlike charge having five points unless a greater number is specified, used especially as the cadency mark of a third son.

mullet

³

[muhl-it]

noun

1. a hairstyle in which the hair is short in the front and at the sides of the head, and longer in the back.

mullet

¹

/ ˈmʌlɪt /

noun

1. any of various teleost food fishes belonging to the families Mugilidae (grey mullet) or Mullidae (red mullet) See also grey mullet red mullet

2. the US name for grey mullet

mullet

²

/ ˈmʌlɪt /

noun

1. a hairstyle in which the hair is short at the top and long at the back

Word History and Origins

Origin of mullet¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English molet, mulet, melet, from Old French mulet “red mullet,” from Latin mullus “red mullet,” from Greek mýllos, a kind of unidentified fish ; -et

Origin of mullet²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English molet(te), from Old French molete “rowel of a spur,” equivalent to mole “millstone” ( French meule ) + -ette diminutive suffix; -ette

Origin of mullet³

First recorded in 1990–95; perhaps by shortening of mullethead “blockhead, fool”; popularized and probably coined by U.S. hip-hop group the Beastie Boys

Word History and Origins

Origin of mullet¹

C15: via Old French from Latin mullus, from Greek mullos

Origin of mullet²

C20: origin unknown

Example Sentences

Unlike her own style, Maeve dresses in dark colors with heavy, metallic jewelry and sports a shaggy mullet.

From Los Angeles Times

“The military-grade haircut is gone, in favour of a luxuriant ginger mullet.”

From Salon

The design teams have outfitted Franco’s hipster with goofy sweatshirts and a fledgling mullet.

From Los Angeles Times

"I hope not," he smiles when asked about the prospect of accidentally acquiring a mullet down under.

From BBC

I have a mullet … I feel like people need to experience more live stuff.

From Los Angeles Times