mutton English · revision 951

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈmʌt(ə)n/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|motoun]], [[bor|fro|moton|t=ram, wether, sheep]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[der|la-med|multō|t=ram]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) of Celtic origin, from Gaulish ''*multo-'',^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) related to [[sga|molt|t=wether]] and [[cy|mollt|t=wether]].^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The flesh of sheep used as food (c. 1290 in the OED; before 1300 in Barnhart).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Middle English ''mutton'' could also mean a sheep itself (1338), a use now only jocular.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) As with ''beef'', ''pork'' and ''veal'', the French name came to be used for the meat while the English name was kept for the animal.^(Etymonline) From the early 16th century ''mutton'' was slang for loose women or prostitutes.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) The ''mutton chop'' dates from 1720, and from 1865 also names a style of side whiskers shaped like it.^(Etymonline) The phrase ''as dead as mutton'' is from 1714.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1290 – the meat of sheep.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1338 – a sheep (now jocular).^(OED 1989)

+ * before 1518 – slang, loose women.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1714 – ''as dead as mutton''.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1720 – ''mutton chop''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1865 – mutton-chop whiskers.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The flesh of a fully grown [[sheep]], used as food.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(jocular)'' A sheep.^(OED 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(printing)'' An [[em]] quad.^(RHWU)^(OED 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[muttony]]

+ * [[muttonhead]]

+ * [[mutton bird]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[lamb]]

+ * [[beef]]

+ * [[pork]]

+ * [[mutton chop]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}