MUTTON

mouton, mutton

(noun) meat from a mature domestic sheep

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Noun

mutton (countable and uncountable, plural muttons)

The flesh of sheep used as food.

The flesh of goat used as food.

(archaic) A sheep.

(typography slang) Em, a unit of measurement equal to the height of the type in use.

(obsolete, slang) A prostitute.

(historical) An old Anglo-French gold coin impressed with the image of a lamb.

Synonyms

• (meat of a sheep): sheepflesh, sheepmeat

Hyponyms

• (meat of a sheep): lamb

Adjective

mutton (not comparable)

(Cockney rhyming slang) deaf.

Synonyms

• Mutton Jeff

Source: Wiktionary


Mut"ton, n. Etym: [OE. motoun, OF. moton, molton, a sheep, wether, F. mouton, LL. multo, by transposition of l fr. L. mutilus mutilated. See Mutilate.]

1. A sheep. [Obs.] Chapman. Not so much ground as will feed a mutton. Sir H. Sidney. Muttons, beeves, and porkers are good old words for the living quadrupeds. Hallam.

2. The flesh of a sheep. The fat of roasted mutton or beef. Swift.

3. A loose woman; a prostitute. [Obs.] Mutton bird (Zoöl.), the Australian short-tailed petrel (Nectris brevicaudus).

– Mutton chop, a rib of mutton for broiling, with the end of the bone at the smaller part chopped off.

– Mutton fish (Zoöl.), the American eelpout. See Eelpout.

– Mutton fist, a big brawny fist or hand. [Colloq.] Dryden.

– Mutton monger, a pimp [Low & Obs.] Chapman.

– To return to one's muttons. Etym: [A translation of a phrase from a farce by De Brueys, revenons à nos moutons let us return to our sheep.] To return to one's topic, subject of discussion, etc. [Humorous] I willingly return to my muttons. H. R. Haweis.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

23 May 2025

THOUGHTFULLY

(adverb) showing consideration and thoughtfulness; “he had thoughtfully brought with him some food to share”


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Coffee Trivia

In 1511, leaders in Mecca believed coffee stimulated radical thinking and outlawed the drink. In 1524, the leaders overturned that order, and people could drink coffee again.

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