Etymology

mutton dressed as lamb

Today it means: A middle-aged or elderly woman dressed in a style more suited to a young woman, especially if in a deliberate attempt to appear young. Full definition →

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The story

A metaphorical sense of mutton (“unattractive older woman”) being dressed (clothed) as lamb (“a younger attractive woman”) and also a pun on mutton (“meat from old sheep”) being dressed (prepared) as lamb (“meat from young sheep”), related to obsolete lamb-fashion.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.