mustache

noun

mus·​tache ˈmə-ˌstash  (ˌ)mə-ˈstash 

variants or less commonly moustache

1

: the hair growing on the human upper lip

especially : such hair grown and often trimmed in a particular style

his long mustache combed and waxed

—Henry Petroski

2

: hair or bristles about the mouth of a mammal

mustached adjective

or less commonly moustached

ˈmə-ˌstasht 

(ˌ)mə-ˈstasht

Examples of mustache in a Sentence

He used a small pair of scissors to trim his mustache.

He decided to grow a mustache.

The actor was wearing a false mustache.

Recent Examples on the Web

Nance, Billboard’s Country Rookie of the Month for September, discussed his upcoming album, his influences, his signature mustache and more. —Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 10 Sep. 2025

Without corrections, the zoom shows complex mustache distortion at 20mm and significant pincushion distortion from 50-200mm, both extreme enough that even an untrained eye will notice. —PC Magazine, 9 Sep. 2025

So, what are the odds of Eli in Mike Ditka garb (sweater vest, mustache and glasses, of course)? —Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025

The white beard, the twinkling eyes behind round spectacles, the mustache curled with wax at its ends are all real, all his. —Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 6 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle French moustache, from Old Italian mustaccio, from Middle Greek moustaki, diminutive of Greek mystak-, mystax upper lip, mustache

First Known Use

1585, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing mustache

• Fu Manchu mustache
• handlebar mustache

Rhymes for mustache

• backlash
• chumash
• eyelash
• moustache
• noncash
• potash
• rehash
• whiplash
• ash
• bash
• brash
• cache

Kids Definition

mustache

noun

mus·​tache

variants also moustache

ˈməs-ˌtash,

(ˌ)məs-ˈtash

1

: the hair growing on the human upper lip

2

: hair or bristles about the mouth of a mammal (as a walrus)