mutton

noun

mut·​ton ˈmə-tᵊn How to pronounce mutton (audio)
: the flesh of a mature sheep used for food
muttony
ˈmə-tᵊn-ē How to pronounce mutton (audio)
ˈmət-nē
adjective

Example Sentences

a meal of mutton and potatoes
Recent Examples on the Web Spectators behind the rail break out in laughter and applause as this dainty contestant , Charlotte Rutherford, shows her composure in a delicate bow after being tossed quickly into the dirt by a scampering sheep during a 'mutton busting' event at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo. San Antonio Express-News, 29 Dec. 2020 One of Torkko’s co-workers mentioned that her 6-year-old son did mutton busting, which involves small children riding sheep like a bull rider. Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 12 Apr. 2023 For these special festivals, families prepare traditional dishes such as burfi (sweet nutty fudge), petha (sweet winter melon candy), spiced vegetable fritters, lamb biryani, and mutton kebabs to enjoy with friends and celebrate. Mariette Williams, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Mar. 2023 Gongura mutton curry is a simple dish from Andhra Pradesh that goes well with piping hot rice. Kamalika Mukherjee, Vogue, 26 Jan. 2023 Amanullah, the restaurant’s pulao master and the son of a man who spent his life cooking only rice and mutton, lifted a conical lid from a vast pot set into a stove. Hannah Beech, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2023 Its fragmentary walls mark the lair where Richard, the 13th-century Earl of Cornwall and the brother of King Henry III, is said to have gathered with his followers to feast on mutton and ale and pay homage to a monarch who may never have existed: King Arthur. Joshua Hammer, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Aug. 2022 The scent of mutton skewers, dusted with chili pepper and cumin and roasting atop makeshift streetside grills, is one of the most cherished pleasures of summer in Beijing – a cheap and seductive reward for suffering through a season otherwise marked by oppressive heat and pungent, chewable air. Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 30 May 2013 My dad grew out mutton-chops for a year. Lauren Daley, BostonGlobe.com, 26 Oct. 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mutton.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of mutton was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near mutton

Cite this Entry

“Mutton.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mutton. Accessed 9 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

mutton

noun
mut·​ton ˈmət-ᵊn How to pronounce mutton (audio)
: the flesh of a mature sheep used for food
Etymology

from French mouton "sheep"

More from Merriam-Webster on mutton

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