Main Entry:

mal·let

Pronunciation:

\ˈma-lət\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

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

Date:

15th century

: a hammer with a typically barrel-shaped head: 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 (as a vibraphone)