Where does “muttoniness” come from?
muttoniness (English) comes from English muttony, from English mutton, from Middle English motoun, from Old French mouton, from Vulgar Latin molto, from Gaulish multon-, from Proto-Celtic moltos, from Proto-Indo-European (h₂)moldus — to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange.
muttoniness (English): Quality of being muttony
Ancestry of “muttoniness”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | muttony | Like mutton; having a flavour of mutton |
| 2 | English | mutton | The flesh of sheep used as food; The flesh of... |
| 3 | Middle English | motoun | The meat of sheep or a piece of it; mutton; A... |
| 4 | Old French | mouton | sheep; mutton |
| 5 | Vulgar Latin | molto | wether |
| 6 | Gaulish | multon- | sheep |
| 7 | Proto-Celtic | moltos | ram, wether |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | (h₂)moldus | soft, weak |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | mel- | soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | mey- | to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange |