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mal·let

(mălĭt)

a. A short-handled hammer, usually with a cylindrical head of wood, used chiefly to drive a chisel or wedge.

b. A similar tool with a rubber, leather, or plastic head, used to strike a surface without damaging it.

2. Sports A long-handled implement used to strike a ball, as in croquet and polo.

3. Music A light hammer with a rounded head for striking a percussion instrument.

[Middle English mailet, mallet, from Old French maillet, diminutive of mail, maul; see MAUL.]

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mallet

rubber mallet

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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