What does "mullet" mean?
A fish of the family Mullidae (order Syngnathiformes), especially the genus Mullus (red mullets or goatfish).
Mullet
/ˈmʌlɪt/ name, noun, slang
name, noun, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A fish of the family Mullidae (order Syngnathiformes), especially the genus Mullus (red mullets or goatfish).
- Grammar: mullet is listed as name, noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: grey mullet, achievement, annulet, armory.
- Usage evidence: The dude with the mullet always wears acid-washed jeans.
How to use "mullet"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "mullet" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "mullet" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "mullet" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "mullet" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "mullet" is acting as name, noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "grey mullet" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "mullet", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A fish of the family Mullidae (order Syngnathiformes), especially the genus Mullus (red mullets or goatfish).
- 2 A fool.
- 3 A hairstyle where the hair is kept short on the top and sides and long at the back.
"– Mullet head, don't touch the back – Cut the sides, don't touch the back"
- 4 A star with straight edges and usually with five or six points.
"Grogan, Creation of 1859, or Moyvore, Westmeath. [...] Arms,—Barry of sex or and sable, on a chief engrailed azure a lion passant of the first. Crest,—A lion's head erased sable, charged with a mullet or."
- 5 bottom dwelling marine warm water fishes with two barbels on the chin wordnet
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 A fish of the family Mugilidae (order Mugiliformes) (grey mullets). US, especially
- 7 A person who mindlessly follows a fad, a trend, or a leader. slang
- 8 The rowel of a spur.
- 9 freshwater or coastal food fishes a spindle-shaped body; found worldwide wordnet
- 10 Any of several species of freshwater fish in the sucker family (especially in the genus Moxostoma, redhorses) US
- 11 highly valued lean flesh of marine or freshwater mullet wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"The dude with the mullet always wears acid-washed jeans."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "mullet"?
Common synonyms include: grey mullet, achievement, annulet, armory, arms, azure.
How do you use "mullet" in a sentence?
The dude with the mullet always wears acid-washed jeans.
How do you pronounce "mullet"?
Pronounced /ˈmʌlɪt/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English molet, mulett, from Old French mulet (now ‘grey mullet’), from Latin mullus (“red mullet”), from Ancient Greek μύλλος (múllos).
Etymology 2
Also termed a mullethead, possibly derived from the fish (see Etymology 1) or from mull (meaning to stupefy) though neither is certain.
Etymology 3
1994 US. Popularized and possibly coined by hip hop group the Beastie Boys in their song "Mullet Head".
Etymology 4
From Middle English molet, from Old French molette (“rowel”).