Mallet

google

ref

late Middle English: from Old French maillet, from mail ‘hammer’, from Latin malleus .

wiktionary

ref

From Middle English malet, maylet, from Old French mallet, maillet(“a wooden hammer, mallet”), diminutive of mal, mail(“a hammer”), from Latin malleus(“a hammer, mall, mallet”).

etymonline

ref

mallet (n.)

"small wooden hammer," chiefly used for driving another tool, late 14c., from Old French maillet "mallet, small wooden hammer, door-knocker," diminutive of mail, from Latin malleus "a hammer, mallet," from Proto-Italic *molalo-, *molklo- "hammer," from PIE *molkh-tlo- "crushing instrument," source also of Russian molot, Czech mlat "hammer," from PIE root *mele- "to crush, grind." It is wielded with one hand, while the heavier mall or maul requires both.