mutton
n. uncountablen. the meat from a sheep that is more than two years old. It has a stronger taste and is tougher than lamb, so it needs to be cooked slowly.
n. the flesh of a mature domestic sheep, typically over two years of age. Distinguished from lamb by its darker colour, higher fat content, and more pronounced flavour profile.
The chef prepared a slow-cooked mutton stew for dinner.
While lamb is more popular for roasting, mutton is often preferred in traditional curries for its robust flavour.
The culinary revival of mutton has led many high-end restaurants to source heritage breeds, arguing that the mature meat offers a complexity of flavour that younger lamb lacks.
From Middle English motoun, moton, from Old French mouton (“sheep”), from Vulgar Latin moltō, from Gaulish multon-, from Proto-Celtic moltos (“ram, wether”). Doublet of mouton.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Uncountable when referring to the meat as food; occasionally countable when referring to specific types or servings.
I bought a mutton for the partyI bought some mutton for the partyWhen referring to meat as food, it is uncountable and should not be used with the indefinite article 'a'.
- Nounmacon
- Nounmutton
Last updated May 11, 2026