Mama

Pronunciation

• GenAm enPR: mäʹmÉ™, IPA: /ˈmÉ‘mÉ™/
• UK IPA: /məˈmɑː/

Alternative forms

• mamma
• momma

Origin

From a reduplication of ma; a trend present in many Indo-European languages, probably with ultimate origin in baby talk; or perhaps representing, in altered form, a continuation of Middle English mome ("mother, aunt"), from Proto-Germanic *mōmǭ ("mother, aunt"), from Proto-Indo-European *méh₂-méh₂, reduplication of *méh₂- ("mother"), related to German Muhme ("aunt"), Latin mamma ("mother, nurse"), Irish mam ("mother"), Lithuanian mama, moma ("mother").

Full definition of mama

Noun

1. (hypocoristic, usually childish) Mother, female parent.

Related terms

• mom
• mommy
• mother
• mum
• mummy

Anagrams

• amma
• ma'am