n.
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *mattia; akin to Latin mateola mallet
Date: 14th century
1 a : a heavy often spiked staff or club used especially in the Middle Ages for breaking armor b : a club used as a weapon
2 a : an ornamental staff borne as a symbol of authority before a public official or a legislative body b : one who carries a mace