Etymology Map
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Mallet

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means a hammer with a large wooden head

Where does the word "mallet" come from? It comes from Latin malleus, passing through Old French before entering English (1400s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
malleus
Latin · ancient
"hammer"
the root of 'malleable'
2
Stage 2 of 3
maillet
Old French · medieval
"small hammer"
a diminutive of 'mail', hammer
3
Stage 3 of 3
mallet
English · 1400s
"wooden hammer"
croquet mallets date from the 1800s
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Read the full story

Mallet’s story begins in Latin: malleus meant “hammer.” The root of 'malleable'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as maillet. A diminutive of 'mail', hammer. It reached English by 1400s as mallet. Croquet mallets date from the 1800s. Today, mallet means a hammer with a large wooden head.