Mama Definition & Meaning

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    • Synonyms mama American [mah-muh, muh-mah] / ˈmɑ mə, məˈmɑ / Also momma or mamma

    noun

    1. Informal. mother.

    2. Slang.

      1. a sexually attractive, usually mature woman.

      2. one's wife.

    mama British / məˈmɑː /

    noun

    1. old-fashioned an informal word for mother 1

    "Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

    Usage

    What does mama mean? Mama is an informal word for mother.Mama can also be spelled momma and mamma. Mama is informal, and it’s often used by young children, much like the word mommy. Adults also sometimes use mama to refer to their mothers, especially when they have a close relationship.The word can be used as a title for one’s mother, as in You should call Mama, and as a way to address her, as in Hi, Mama—happy Mother’s Day! In these two uses, the word is usually capitalized since it’s used like a proper name.Mama can also be used as an informal way to refer to one’s mother, as in You should call your mama. Call your mama whatever you want—just remember to call her.

    Etymology

    Origin of mama

    First recorded in 1545–55; nursery word, with parallels in other European languages, probably in part inherited or borrowed, in part newly formed; compare Latin mamma, Greek mámmē “breast, mama” ( mamma 2 ), French maman “mama,” Welsh mam “mother” (from unattested mammā )

    Example Sentences

    Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

    ‘You’ve got to take care of mama bear and papa bear first.’

    From MarketWatch

    Everybody and they mama from they jerkin’ crew was there.

    From Los Angeles Times

    “You take care of your mama now, you hear? She needs you.”

    From Literature

    As for the figures who occupied the foreground of the work—well, yes, they were wolves, but they were happy, gentle wolves and featured a mama wolf tenderly playing with her cubs.

    From Literature

    Michael scanned the room as his mama sorted through the DVDs to find Raising Arizona.

    From Literature

    Related Words

    • female
    • girl
    • woman

    Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

    Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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