Word
mutton
Phoneticsmut·ton, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈmətən/
UK/mˈʌtən/
Definitions
01meat from sheep
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Cooking
n. the meat from a sheep that is more than one year old.
n. the flesh of a mature sheep used as food, typically distinguished from the meat of younger animals (lamb) by its darker colour and stronger flavour.
“The stew was made with mutton and slow-cooked until the meat was tender.”
“Traditional recipes often call for mutton rather than lamb because the mature meat stands up better to long, slow braising with heavy spices.”
02deaf
C2 · Proficiency British English · Slang · Dialect
adj. a slang word for being unable to hear well.
adj. used as a synonym for 'deaf' in Cockney rhyming slang, derived from the phrase 'mutton jeff'.
“You will have to speak up because he is a bit mutton these days.”
“The elderly man joked that he was getting a bit mutton, asking his grandchildren to repeat their stories more loudly.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “mutton” in context.
Verb
01. braise mutton
“Braise mutton slowly with onions and ale for at least three hours.”
verb + noun
02. carve mutton
“He carved the mutton thinly and served it with mint sauce.”
verb + noun
03. marinate mutton
“Marinate mutton overnight in yoghurt, garlic and cumin.”
verb + noun
Adjective
04. curried mutton
“She served curried mutton with basmati rice and mango chutney.”
adj + noun
05. fatty mutton
“He trimmed the fatty mutton before adding it to the curry pot.”
adj + noun
06. gamey mutton
“Mutton has a distinctly gamey flavour that divides opinion at the table.”
adj + noun
Noun
07. chunk of mutton
“He speared a chunk of mutton from the communal stew.”
noun + prep + noun
08. joint of mutton
“The butcher sold him a large joint of mutton for the feast.”
noun + prep + noun
09. leg of mutton
“She roasted a leg of mutton with anchovies and thyme.”
noun + prep + noun
10. a leg of roast mutton
“We shared a leg of roast mutton with all the trimmings.”
11. braise mutton until tender
“To tame the flavour, braise mutton until tender with red wine.”
12. mutton dressed as lamb
“The tabloids dismissed his leather jacket as mutton dressed as lamb.”
Usage
Uncountable when referring to the meat as food; occasionally countable when referring to specific types or servings.
Pitfall
I bought a mutton for the party
I bought some mutton for the party
When referring to meat as food, it is uncountable and should not be used with the indefinite article 'a'.
Real-World Examples
“In 1980 the average UK household purchased 128g of sheep meat (lamb and mutton) per person, per week.” “As autumn approaches, the rhythmic thud of wooden mallets pounding lamb meat can be heard across Indian Kashmir as cooks prepare a traditional meal served at weddings - a multi-course mutton feast called Wazwan.” “Australian sheep farmers are reaping the benefits of unprecedented sheep prices, driven by escalating global demand for lamb and mutton, which has led to a surge in exports from the leading supplier of sheep meat in the world.” “One of the signature recipes of the area, Yang Rou Pao Mo is a mutton stew served with unleavened bread.” Etymology
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.
Idioms
01. laced mutton
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
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