mallet

[ mal-it ]
/ ˈmæl ɪt /

noun

a hammerlike tool with a head commonly of wood but occasionally of rawhide, plastic, etc., used for driving any tool with a wooden handle, as a chisel, or for striking a surface.
the wooden implement used to strike the balls in croquet.
Polo. the long-handled stick, or club, used to drive the ball.

Origin of mallet

1375–1425; late Middle English maillet < Middle French, equivalent to mail maul + -et -et

Example sentences from the Web for mallet

British Dictionary definitions for mallet

mallet
/ (ˈmælɪt) /

noun

a tool resembling a hammer but having a large head of wood, copper, lead, leather, etc, used for driving chisels, beating sheet metal, etc
a long stick with a head like a hammer used to strike the ball in croquet or polo
mainly US a very large powerful steam locomotive with a conventional boiler but with two separate articulated engine units

Word Origin for mallet

C15: from Old French maillet wooden hammer, diminutive of mail maul (n)