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mama

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mama¹

  • /ˈmæmə/ UK
  • /ˈmʌ-/ UK
  • /məˈmɑː/ UK, archaic
  • /ˈmɑmə/ US
  • /məˈmɑː/ archaic, US
  • /ˈmɐmə/ Australia
  • /ˈmamʌ/ Caribbean

Rhymes with (RP) -æmə, -ʌmə(ɹ), (GA) -ɑːmə, (archaic) -ɑː

Where it comes from

The origin of the noun is uncertain; it is probably a reduplication of ma, thought to be a sound made by babies when breastfeeding. The word is possibly influenced by Middle French maman (“mother”) (modern French maman), mamme (both probably from Latin mamma (“breast; nurse; (childish) mother, mama; grandmother”), probably cognate with Ancient Greek μᾰ́μμη (mắmmē, “breast; (childish) mother, mama; (Koine) grandmother”), both possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *meh₂- (“to nurse; mama, mother”)), but this is also uncertain as all the words could have developed independently as onomatopoeias.

Etymology 1, noun sense 3 (“(Caribbean) used as a term of address for a woman”) is possibly partly from a West African language; compare Akan mmá, mmaa (“woman”).

The interjection and verb are derived from the noun.

noun mamas · mamma · momma · mumma

  1. Canada, US, childish, often Synonym of mother (“a female parent”). I love the cookies which mama bakes me every week.

    Similar: mother

  2. Canada, US, childish, figuratively, often Synonym of mother (“an origin, a source”). The exhibition of the New Society of Water-Colour Painters has grown to be quite as handsome and agreeable as that of its mamma, the old Society in Pall Mall East.

    Similar: mother

  3. Canada, US, childish, obsolete, often Used preceding a name as a title for a mother. That they should spend their Christmas at Merle Park was an acknowledged thing;—to mamma Tringle an acknowledged benefit, because she liked to have her daughter with her; to papa Tringle an acknowledged evil, because he could not endure to be made to give more than he intended to give.
  4. A lesbian partner.
  5. Caribbean, informal Used as a (respectful) term of address for a woman, especially an older one. About a.d. 1150 Mango Capac and Mama Oella, his sister-wife [Manco Cápac and Mama Ocllo], appeared by the Lake Titicaca.
  6. slang A girlfriend. [W]hat would I do supposing the Jane on whom I had always looked as a steady mamma had handed me the old skimmer and told me to take all the air I needed because she had gotten another sweetie?
  7. A dominant female partner, often used as a term of address. My girlfriend loves it when I call her mama.
  8. A wife. I need to talk to mama before I buy the car.
  9. A woman regarded as sexually attractive or (derogatory) promiscuous. Whoa, that chick in the bikini is a real mama!

interjection

  1. Caribbean, US Often preceded by oh: used to express approval, joy, surprise, etc. He do n't do a thing in the world except travel around with some more o' them handy boys and lay for jack-pots. And the talk he gives you! Mamma! He 's better 'n any o' them shell-workers that used to graft out at the gover'ment pier.

verb mamas · mamaing · mamaed

  1. informal, transitive, uncommon Synonym of mother (“to treat (someone) as a mother would be expected to treat her child; to nurture”). What shall be the effeminating effect upon the rising generation if the brave men of today are to be mammaed by a crew of timid Supervisors?

    Similar: mother

  2. informal, obsolete, rare, transitive, uncommon To call (someone) "mama" (noun sense). Priſc[illa] vvill Mamma-up Mrs. Sinclair, and vvill undertake to court her guardian to let her paſs a delightful vveek vvith her.
  3. informal, intransitive, uncommon To call out "mama". [W]hen the next Sunday two and the third Sunday four babies cooed and mammaed and howled in chorus it was more than he could stand.

mama²

  • /ˈmʌmə/ General South African, UK
  • /ˈmɑː-/ General South African, UK
  • /ˈmæmə/ US
  • /ˈmə-/ US
  • /ˈmɑ-/ US

Rhymes with (RP, SA) -ʌmə(ɹ), -ɑːmə, (GA) -æmə

Where it comes from

Borrowed from Xhosa umama and Zulu umama, sometimes only distinguishable from English mama (see etymology 1) by the context and pronunciation.

noun mamas · Mama

  1. South Africa, informal, uncommon Synonym of mother (“a female parent”).

    Similar: mother

  2. South Africa, familiar, informal, often, uncommon Used as a (respectful) term of address for one's mother. We had gone to his house on our way to school, as usual, when we learnt of his arrest. His mother said they'd been worken up about three a.m. by the police who took him away. […] 'Did they say when he'll be back, Mama?' I asked. 'No, my child,' his mother said.
  3. South Africa, informal, uncommon A middle-aged black woman. And the old mealie mamas who used to go past in the street with big bulging sacks on their heads, calling "Meeeeealies!"
  4. South Africa, familiar, informal, often, uncommon Often in the form Mama: used as a (respectful) term of address for an adult woman. She came over now, sweating and smiling amiably, to wipe the table with a filthy cloth. 'How are you today, Mr Doctor?' […] 'I'm good, Mama. How about you?' […] When she'd gone he asked, 'Why do you call her Mama?' […] 'I don't know. It's a term of affection or something. Respect. I don't know.'

Mama³

proper noun

  1. a Bantoid language spoken in Nigeria

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: mom, mommy, mum, momma, mammy, mater, mummy, mamma, ma, mam, moms, amma, grandma, mami, auntie, grandmother

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MLA

"mama." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/mama. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

mama. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/mama

Chicago

"mama." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/mama.

BibTeX
@misc{mama_2026,
  title = {mama},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/mama},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}