n.
Pronunciation: ' ma-l ə t
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English maillet, from Anglo-French, diminutive of mail hammer ― more at MAUL
Date: 15th century
: a hammer with a typically barrel-shaped head: as a : a tool with a large head for driving another tool or for striking a surface without marring it b : a long-handled wooden implement used for striking a ball (as in polo or croquet) c : a light hammer with a small rounded or spherical usually padded head used in playing certain musical instruments (as a vibraphone)