mullet

noun mul·let \ ˈmə-lət \

Definition of mullet

plural mullet or mullets

1 : any of a family (Mugilidae) of chiefly marine bony fishes with an elongate rather stout body — compare goatfish, red mullet

[perhaps short for mullethead blockhead]

: a hairstyle in which the hair is short on the sides and top and long at the back

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See mullet defined for kids

Recent Examples of mullet from the Web

That spongy organ between your eyes and your spectacular mullet is strong.

— josh wigler, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Walking Dead' Teaser Strips Rick Down to Nothing," 27 Nov. 2017
The mullet was also memorialized on Stillwater’s Eskimo Joe’s restaurant.

— nathan ruiz, ajc, "WATCH: Mike Gundy’s mullet flows beautifully ahead of Kansas State game," 18 Nov. 2017
The deckhand in the bow sat placidly, watching for the 20-foot-high breaking surf, his feet soaking in the makeshift livewell ahead of the first bench seat, a couple dozen mullet cruising around his ankles.

— steve meyer, Alaska Dispatch News, "Whether fishing in Alaska or Costa Rica, how you succeed is as important as the success itself," 31 Oct. 2017
On the ground floor, there’s a stylish lobby with a lounge, bar, and a two-wing restaurant that serves up three meals a day with such memorable dishes as la planche sea bass with nectarines and almonds and black mullet with passion fruit.

— madeleine luckel, Vogue, "These Modern Boutique Hotels Are Paris’s Best Kept Secret," 7 Sep. 2017
Flounder are good along the drop-offs in the channel on Gulps and finger mullet.

— bink grimes, Houston Chronicle, "Outdoors report: Oct. 27," 26 Oct. 2017
And Lucas and the new girl, Max ( Sadie Sink ), whose vicious brother, Billy ( Dacre Montgomery ), sports the worst mullet in history.

— john anderson, WSJ, "‘Stranger Things 2’ Review: Return to the Upside-Down," 26 Oct. 2017
The daughter of Aucilla River mullet fisher folk, Ms. Wood is prepping her 11-year-old daughter for a new era of big storms, teaching her how to identify safe places to shelter.

— harry bruinius, The Christian Science Monitor, "Hurricanes may be getting bigger, but death toll is shrinking," 12 Sep. 2017
Blake Shelton shared on old photo of the two of them performing together that dates back to Shelton’s mullet days.

— dave paulson, The Courier-Journal, "Troy Gentry: A life of triumph and tragedy," 8 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mullet.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Illustration of mullet

Origin and Etymology of mullet

Middle English molet, from Anglo-French mulet, from Latin mullus red mullet, from Greek myllos

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

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Other Fashion Terms

bodkin, chignon, cowlick, eau de toilette, imperial, pocket, pomander, tonsorial

MULLET Defined for English Language Learners

mullet

noun

Definition of mullet for English Language Learners

: a type of fish that lives in the ocean and is often eaten as food
: a hairstyle in which the hair is short on the top and sides and long in the back

MULLET Defined for Kids

mullet

noun mul·let \ ˈmə-lət \

Definition of mullet for Students

: any of various chiefly saltwater fishes some mostly gray ( gray mullets ) and others red or golden ( red mullets ) that are often used as food

Learn More about mullet

See words that rhyme with mullet Spanish Central: Translation of mullet Nglish: Translation of mullet for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of mullet for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mullet

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mullet

Definition of mullet

Recent Examples of mullet from the Web

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Origin and Etymology of mullet

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MULLET Defined for English Language Learners

mullet

Definition of mullet for English Language Learners

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mullet

Definition of mullet for Students

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