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

His mustache alone should have disqualified him for private service. —Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 23 Nov. 2025

Opposite the workers’ wall, a bust of Gutzon Borglum created by his son, Lincoln, rests on a pedestal, the sculptor’s bald dome and fluffy mustache the two physical landmarks on an otherwise unremarkable face. —Literary Hub, 21 Nov. 2025

Rozz had a developing mustache; Chuck had a mouth full of braces. —Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 19 Nov. 2025

Lothe sported a mustache waxed at the tips and seemed like someone completely out of time. —Michael Paterniti, Travel + Leisure, 14 Nov. 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)