mug

1 of 3

noun

1
: a cylindrical drinking cup
2
a
: the face or mouth of a person
b
c
3
a chiefly British
(1)
(2)
: a person easily deceived
b
: punk, thug
mugful noun

mug

2 of 3

verb (1)

mugged; mugging

intransitive verb

: to pose or make faces especially to attract attention or for a camera

mug

3 of 3

verb (2)

mugged; mugging

transitive verb

1
: to assault usually with intent to rob
2
: to attack suddenly
got mugged in the press by his colleagues
muggee noun

Examples of mug in a Sentence

Noun a collection of coffee mugs He drank a mug of coffee. They're taking you for a mug.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The Star policy is to use booking mugs only in the highest profile of crimes, and thus is publishing a booking photo for Lyndell Mays, who was taken to the Jackson County Detention Center after being treated at a hospital. Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 29 Feb. 2024 Swap your afternoon cup of coffee for a refreshing mug of green tea to promote youthful skin from the inside out. Daphne Ewing-Chow, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Some social media influencers are praising the benefits of swapping morning coffee for a mug of bone broth. Sarah Garone, Health, 14 Feb. 2024 Now, a number of parents are claiming that the teacher put their children’s assignments up for sale online, without their knowledge — emblazoned on almost 3,000 items, including mugs, ornaments, cushions and shower curtains, at prices up to $120. Rachel Pannett, Washington Post, 14 Feb. 2024 Kennedy plans to add food service, launch a mug release and host a rum club soon. Kate Bradshaw, The Mercury News, 14 Feb. 2024 For coffee lovers, make mornings more fun with a $24 mug that will look good on any kitchen counter. Alyssa Grabinski, Peoplemag, 14 Feb. 2024 Mornings are spent on the deck, coffee mug in hand, and afternoons are spent exploring the on-property trail system. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 13 Feb. 2024 Photos of the drink, posted on Chinese social media platform Weibo by the Shanghai Starbucks Reserve Roastery, show a drizzle of dark red sauce atop the latte foam — with a square slice of pork on a skewer resting on the mug rim. Jessie Yeung, CNN, 20 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mug.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

origin unknown

Verb (2)

probably from earlier mug to strike in the face, perhaps from mug entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1664, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

1855, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Verb (2)

circa 1864, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mug was in 1664

Dictionary Entries Near mug

Cite this Entry

“Mug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mug. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

mug

1 of 3 noun
1
: a usually large drinking cup with a handle
2
: the face or mouth of a person
3

mug

2 of 3 verb
mugged; mugging
1
: to make faces especially to attract attention : grimace
2

mug

3 of 3 verb
mugged; mugging
: to assault especially with the intention of robbing
mugger noun

Legal Definition

mug

transitive verb
mugged; mugging
: to assault (an individual) usually with intent to rob

More from Merriam-Webster on mug

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