mullet

noun

mul·​let ˈmə-lət 

plural mullet or mullets

1

: any of a family (Mugilidae) of chiefly marine bony fishes with an elongate rather stout body compare goatfish, red mullet

2

[perhaps short for mullethead blockhead] : a hairstyle in which the hair is short on the sides and top and long at the back

Illustration of mullet

• mullet 1

Examples of mullet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

From a distance—or maybe just through my outdated prescription—if appeared that Rihanna had gotten a bold, voluminous, softly spiky mullet in a new rich brunette shade with blonder ombré areas that, further down, transitions into her signature dark brown. —Marci Robin, Allure, 30 Dec. 2024

But also mullets, sunburns, and billowing don’t tread on me flags. —Rachel Kushner, Harper's Magazine, 2 Dec. 2024

Images and videos of Sweeney from set show her in pure athlete mode, with a brunette ’90s mullet and era-appropriate muscle shirts. —Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 15 Dec. 2024

The Anduril cofounder certainly looks like a new kind of defense tech executive, wearing his customary Hawaiian shirt and sporting a bold hairstyle combo of both a mullet and a goatee. —Will Knight, WIRED, 19 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English molet, from Anglo-French mulet, from Latin mullus red mullet, from Greek myllos

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing mullet

• red mullet

Kids Definition

mullet

noun

mul·​let ˈməl-ət 

plural mullet or mullets

: any of a family of mostly gray food fishes chiefly of salt water compare red mullet