mamma
pronunciation
How to pronounce mamma in British English:
UK ['mɑ:mə]
How to pronounce mamma in American English:
US [ˈmɑmə]
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- Noun:
- informal terms for a mother
- milk-secreting organ of female mammals
Word Origin
- mamma (n.)
- 1570s, representing the native form of the reduplication of *ma- that is nearly universal among the Indo-European languages (Greek mamme "mother, grandmother," Latin mamma, Persian mama, Russian and Lithuanian mama "mother," German Muhme "mother's sister," French maman, Welsh mam "mother"). Probably a natural sound in baby-talk, perhaps imitative of sound made while sucking. Its late appearance in English is curious, but Middle English had mome (mid-13c.) "an aunt; an old woman," also an affectionate term of address for an older woman. In educated usage, the stress is always on the last syllable. In terms of recorded usage of related words in English, mama is from 1707, mum is from 1823, mummy in this sense from 1839, mommy 1844, momma 1852, and mom 1867.
Antonym
Example
- 1. She asked suddenly . " Because mamma 's dead ? "
- 2. Mamma mia does it show again ?
- 3. Others , such as mamma health , limit results to pre-screened medical sources .
- 4. Lloyd 's previous film , mamma mia ! Called for meryl streep to sing along to abba songs . This one has her dancing with her on-screen husband to the king and I soundtrack .
- 5. Mamma , what 's going on exactly ?