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

He’s described as a man ages 18 to 20, about 5-foot-7 and 170 pounds, with short black hair and a mustache, police said. —Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 18 Dec. 2025

His beard was shaved, but a long, drooping mustache remained. —Literary Hub, 16 Dec. 2025

The makeover was made complete with a dirty blond wig with bangs accompanied by a partially faux facial hair that Chalamet later confessed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that was his thin mustache grown for Marty Supreme. —Michelle Lee, PEOPLE, 12 Dec. 2025

During his initial court appearance on Friday, Cole appeared briefly before Upadhyaya wearing a khaki jail jumpsuit and sporting a scruffy mustache. —Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 11 Dec. 2025

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

Rhymes for mustache

• backlash
• chumash
• eyelash
• moustache
• noncash
• potash
• rehash
• whiplash
• ash
• bash
• brash
• cache

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)