mutton

noun

mut·​ton ˈmə-tᵊn 

: the flesh of a mature sheep used for food

muttony

ˈmə-tᵊn-ē 

ˈmət-nē

adjective

Examples of mutton in a Sentence

a meal of mutton and potatoes

Recent Examples on the Web

In the parking lot, people gathered to eat fry bread and mutton stew, something common at Navajo polling sites. — Adam Burke, NPR, 4 Nov. 2026

Chef Jyoti Singh's food travels the country too, pulling from a 2019 backpacking trip through Bihar, Nagaland, Kerala and Assam into dishes like Chena Paturi and a donne mutton pulao. — Karina Acharya, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Oct. 2026

That evening, the household, with the exception of Lizzie, fell ill again after eating mutton stew. — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Sep. 2026

One, a Kentucky city has made a big name for itself by cooking mutton barbecue. — John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English motoun, mutton, sheep, from Anglo-French mutun ram, sheep, mutton, of Celtic origin; akin to Old Irish molt wether

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing mutton

• leg-of-mutton
• leg-o'-mutton
• mutton dressed as lamb

Rhymes for mutton

• button
• clutton
• glutton
• unbutton

Video

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Kids Definition

mutton

noun

mut·​ton ˈmət-ᵊn 

: the flesh of a mature sheep used for food

Etymology

from French mouton "sheep"