Mumchance

Origin

From Middle English mommen ("mutter, be silent") and Middle High German mummenschantze ("game of chance as part of a masquerade, mime performance, revel"), from Old French momen ("mask") and cheance ("game of chance")

Full definition of mumchance

Adjective

1. Mute, or not speaking; silent.
• 1966, Paul Mark Scott, , p. 69I wrote Miss Crane off as mediocre because although she chatted quite pleasantly and intelligently over coffee she was mostly mumpchance at the dinner table. Oh, not mumpchance tout court.
• 1978, Lawrence Durrell, Livia, Faber & Faber 1992 (Avignon Quintet), p. 446:The two little children stood mumchance, but with a kindly air.

Related terms

• mummer
• mummery

Noun

1. An old game of chance played with cards in silence.
2. A silent, stupid person.