# mallet

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈmælɪt/ · frequency rank #28,987

## Definitions
1. A type of hammer with a larger-than-usual head made of wood, rubber or similar non-iron material, used by woodworkers for driving a tool, such as a chisel. A kind of maul.
2. A weapon resembling the tool, but typically much larger.
3. A small hammer-like tool used for playing certain musical instruments.
4. A light beetle with a long handle used in playing croquet.
5. The stick used to strike the ball in the sport of polo.

## Etymology
From Middle English malet, maylet, from Old French mallet, maillet (“a wooden hammer, mallet”), diminutive of mal, mail (“a hammer”), from Latin malleus (“a hammer, mall, mallet”).

## Easily confused with
- **malt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mallet-vs-malt)
- **maple** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mallet-vs-maple)
- **mille** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mallet-vs-mille)
- **market** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mallet-vs-market)
- **Miller** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mallet-vs-miller)
- **Marley** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mallet-vs-marley)
- **muller** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mallet-vs-muller)
- **mullen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mallet-vs-mullen)
- **millet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mallet-vs-millet)
- **mullet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mallet-vs-mullet)
- **Malloy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mallet-vs-malloy)
- **milled** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mallet-vs-milled)
- **Manley** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mallet-vs-manley)
- **male** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/male-vs-mallet)
- **mall** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mall-vs-mallet)
- **males** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/males-vs-mallet)
- **Malek** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/malek-vs-mallet)
- **magnet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/magnet-vs-mallet)
- **mailed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mailed-vs-mallet)
- **mailer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mailer-vs-mallet)

## Common misspellings (7)
`amllet`, `malelt`, `malet`, `mallett`, `mallte`, `mlalet`, `mmallet`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/mallet