Etymologically
Log in

mullet

Etymology and origin of the English word mullet

History Permalink

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈmʌlɪt/[1]

Etymology

It comes from Middle English molet,[2][3][4][5] from Old French mulet[2][3][4][5] and from Medieval Latin mulettus,[2][3][4] from Latin mullus (“red mullet”),[2][3][4][5][6] from Ancient Greek μύλλος (múllos), the name of a sea fish.[2][3][4][5] Beekes, cited by Etymonline, considers all explanations of the Greek word uncertain.[4] The haircut sense is perhaps from mullet-head “stupid person” (1857).[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The fish (1393 in an Anglo-French context; 1440 as molett).[3][7][4]

Semantic evolution

The name is applied to two different families of fish, the grey mullets and the red mullets or goatfishes.[7][2][5][6] Mullet-head, a stupid person, is recorded from 1857, and was also the name of a flat-headed American fish thought to be stupid (1866).[4] The hairstyle short on top and sides and long at the back is called a mullet from 1996,[4] perhaps popularized by the Beastie Boys song Mullet Head.[4] The heraldic mullet, a star, is a separate word.[7][6]

Timeline

  • 1393 – the fish, in Anglo-French.[3]
  • 1440 – molett.[3]
  • 1857 – mullet-head, a stupid person.[4]
  • 1996 – a hairstyle.[4]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. Any of various stout-bodied food fishes of the family Mugilidae, found in warm coastal waters; grey mullet.
  2. The red mullet or goatfish.
  3. A hairstyle short on the top and sides and long at the back.
  4. In heraldry, a star with usually five straight points (a separate word).

Word family

  • gray mullet
  • red mullet
  • goatfish

Usage notes

Merriam-Webster gives both mullet and mullets as plurals.[5]

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c d e f Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  6. ^ a b c Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
  7. ^ a b c Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Mullet.” Etymologically, 11 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/mullet. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·