mullet English · revision 1111

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈmʌlɪt/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It comes from Middle English ''molet'',^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) [[der|fro|mulet]]^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) and [[der|la-med|mulettus]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) from [[la|mullus|t=red mullet]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[der|grc|μύλλος|tr=múllos]], the name of a sea fish.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) Beekes, cited by Etymonline, considers all explanations of the Greek word uncertain.^(Etymonline) The haircut sense is perhaps from ''mullet-head'' “stupid person” (1857).^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The fish (1393 in an Anglo-French context; 1440 as ''molett'').^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The name is applied to two different families of fish, the grey mullets and the red mullets or goatfishes.^(OED 1989)^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) ''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).^(Etymonline) The hairstyle short on top and sides and long at the back is called a ''mullet'' from 1996,^(Etymonline) perhaps popularized by the Beastie Boys song ''Mullet Head''.^(Etymonline) The heraldic ''mullet'', a star, is a separate word.^(OED 1989)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1393 – the fish, in Anglo-French.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1440 – ''molett''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1857 – ''mullet-head'', a stupid person.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1996 – a hairstyle.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Any of various stout-bodied food fishes of the family Mugilidae, found in warm coastal waters; grey mullet.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The [[red mullet]] or goatfish.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A hairstyle short on the top and sides and long at the back.^(Etymonline)^(Wiktionary)

+ # In [[heraldry]], a star with usually five straight points (a separate word).^(RHWU)^(OED 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[gray mullet]]

+ * [[red mullet]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[goatfish]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Merriam-Webster gives both ''mullet'' and ''mullets'' as plurals.^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}