leg-of-mutton

adjective

leg-of-mut·​ton ˌle-gə(v)-ˈmə-tᵊn How to pronounce leg-of-mutton (audio)
also ˌlāg-
variants or leg-o'-mutton
: having the approximately triangular shape or outline of a leg of mutton
a leg-of-mutton sleeve
a leg-of-mutton sail

Examples of leg-of-mutton in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Certain elements of the costumes, like leg-of-mutton sleeves, reflected fashion at the time of the Biedermeier period. — Chantel Tattoli, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2023 Photography was not an unusual hobby for a young woman of her milieu, and many of Austen’s early images depict a world of genteel Victorian amusements—parties gathered on porches and scenic overlooks, happy pugs, sunny days in leg-of-mutton sleeves. — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 22 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of leg-of-mutton was in 1796

Rhymes for leg-of-mutton

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Browse Nearby Words

Legnica
leg-of-mutton
leg-of-mutton rig
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Cite this Entry

“Leg-of-mutton.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leg-of-mutton. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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