mama

English

Alternative forms

• mamma, momma

Etymology

Originally from baby talk. Possibly influenced by Middle English mome (“mother, aunt”), from Old English *mōme, from Proto-West Germanic *mōmā, 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”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /məˈmɑː/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• (General American) enPR: mäʹmə, IPA^(key): /ˈmɑmə/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: (General American) -ɑːmə, (UK) -ɑː

Noun

mama (plural mamas)

1. (hypocoristic, usually childish, Canada, US) Mother, female parent.
   • 1990, Prince (lyrics and music), “Nothing Compares 2 U”, performed by Sinéad O’Connor:

     All the flowers that you planted, mama, in the backyard / All died when you went away

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Anagrams

• amma, ma'am

'Are'are

Etymology

From the prefix ma- and ama.

Noun

mama

1. father

References

• Kateřina Naitoro, A Sketch Grammar of 'Are'are: The Sound System and Morpho-Syntax (2013)

Aklanon

Etymology

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *mamaq, compare Malay mamah.

Verb

mama

1. to chew (tobacco, betel)

Amis

Noun

mama

1. father

Aukan

Noun

mama

1. mother
2. woman

   Synonym: uman

Aymara

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ma.ma/

Noun

mama

1. mother
2. Mrs., mistress (general respectful address for married women).

   tatanak mamanaka ― ladies and gentlemen

Azerbaijani

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

mama (definite accusative mamanı, plural mamalar)

1. (dialectal) paternal aunt ^{[nt. 1]}

   Synonym: bibi

2. mom

   Synonym: ana

3. midwife

   Synonym: mamaça

Usage notes

Declension

Declension of mama
	singular	plural
nominative	mama	mamalar
definite accusative	mamanı	mamaları
dative	mamaya	mamalara
locative	mamada	mamalarda
ablative	mamadan	mamalardan
definite genitive	mamanın	mamaların

Possessive forms of mama
	nominative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	mamam	mamalarım
sənin (“your”)	maman	mamaların
onun (“his/her/its”)	maması	mamaları
bizim (“our”)	mamamız	mamalarımız
sizin (“your”)	mamanız	mamalarınız
onların (“their”)	maması or mamaları	mamaları
	accusative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	mamamı	mamalarımı
sənin (“your”)	mamanı	mamalarını
onun (“his/her/its”)	mamasını	mamalarını
bizim (“our”)	mamamızı	mamalarımızı
sizin (“your”)	mamanızı	mamalarınızı
onların (“their”)	mamasını or mamalarını	mamalarını
	dative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	mamama	mamalarıma
sənin (“your”)	mamana	mamalarına
onun (“his/her/its”)	mamasına	mamalarına
bizim (“our”)	mamamıza	mamalarımıza
sizin (“your”)	mamanıza	mamalarınıza
onların (“their”)	mamasına or mamalarına	mamalarına
	locative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	mamamda	mamalarımda
sənin (“your”)	mamanda	mamalarında
onun (“his/her/its”)	mamasında	mamalarında
bizim (“our”)	mamamızda	mamalarımızda
sizin (“your”)	mamanızda	mamalarınızda
onların (“their”)	mamasında or mamalarında	mamalarında
	ablative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	mamamdan	mamalarımdan
sənin (“your”)	mamandan	mamalarından
onun (“his/her/its”)	mamasından	mamalarından
bizim (“our”)	mamamızdan	mamalarımızdan
sizin (“your”)	mamanızdan	mamalarınızdan
onların (“their”)	mamasından or mamalarından	mamalarından
	genitive
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	mamamın	mamalarımın
sənin (“your”)	mamanın	mamalarının
onun (“his/her/its”)	mamasının	mamalarının
bizim (“our”)	mamamızın	mamalarımızın
sizin (“your”)	mamanızın	mamalarınızın
onların (“their”)	mamasının or mamalarının	mamalarının

References

Further reading

• “mama” in Obastan.com.

Bavarian

Noun

mama

1. (Timau) mother, mom, mama

References

• Umberto Patuzzi, ed., (2013) Ünsarne Börtar, Luserna: Comitato unitario delle linguistiche storiche germaniche in Italia / Einheitskomitee der historischen deutschen Sprachinseln in Italien.

Bikol Central

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: ma‧ma
• IPA^(key): /ˈmama/

Noun

máma (masculine papa)

1. a mother; a (human) female who (a) parents a child (b) gives birth to a baby (c) donates a fertilized egg or (d) donates a body cell which has resulted in a clone. Sometimes used in reference to a pregnant female, possibly as a shortened form of mother-to-be

   Synonyms: ina, nanay

2. a term of address to one's mother, mother-in-law or wife

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: ma‧ma
• IPA^(key): /maˈmaʔ/

Noun

mamâ

1. betel nut

Derived terms

Brunei Malay

Noun

mama

1. A mother.

   Synonym: babu

Catalan

Etymology 1

From Latin mamma.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic)
• IPA^(key): (Valencian)

Noun

mama f (plural mames)

1. (informal) mom
2. (anatomy) mamma

Derived terms

• càncer de mama (“breast cancer”)

Related terms

Further reading

• “mama” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “mama”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2024
• “mama” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “mama” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

Etymology 2

Verb

mama

1. inflection of mamar:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative

Cebuano

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: ma‧ma

Noun

mama

1. a mother; a (human) female who (a) parents a child (b) gives birth to a baby (c) donates a fertilized egg or (d) donates a body cell which has resulted in a clone

   Synonyms: ina, inahan, nanay

2. a term of address to one's mother, mother-in-law or wife

Usage notes

• Sense 1 is sometimes used in reference to a pregnant female, possibly as a shortened form of mother-to-be.

Chinook Jargon

Etymology

From English mama or French maman.

Noun

mama

1. mother

   Synonym: naha

   Coordinate term: papa

Dutch

Etymology

Loaned from French maman

Pronunciation

• audio

  (file)

• IPA^(key): /ˈmɑmaː/
• (Belgium) IPA^(key): /mɑˈmaː/
• Rhymes: -aː

Noun

mama f (plural mama's, diminutive mamaatje n)

1. mama, mother

   Mama, ik heb honger! ― Mommy, I’m hungry!

   Synonyms: ma, mam

   Synonyms: moeder, moe, (Flemish) moeke

Alternative forms

• mamma

Derived terms

• mama appelsap

Descendants

• Berbice Creole Dutch: mama
• Negerhollands: mama, Mama
  • → Virgin Islands Creole: muma

References

Ewe

Noun

mama

1. grandmother

Fijian

Noun

mama

1. ring (for one's finger)

Galician

Etymology

From Latin mamma.

Noun

mama f (plural mamas)

1. (anatomy) mamma, breast

Related terms

• mamar
• mamífero

Verb

mama

1. inflection of mamar:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative

Garo

Etymology

Likely from Bengali মামা (mama)

Noun

mama

1. maternal uncle
2. husband of aunt
3. father-in-law
4. brother of father-in-law

Synonyms

• mamagipa (formal)
• mamatang (formal)

Guinea-Bissau Creole

Etymology

From Portuguese mama. Cognate with Kabuverdianu mama.

Noun

mama

1. bosom
2. breast of a woman

Hausa

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /màː.má/
  • (Standard Kano Hausa) IPA^(key):

Noun

mā̀ma f (possessed form mā̀mar̃)

1. mother

   Synonym: uwa

Noun

mā̀ma m (possessed form mā̀man)

1. breast

   Synonym: nono

Hawaiian

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *mamaq.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈma.ma/,

Verb

mama

1. to chew, masticate (but not swallow)

References

• Pukui, Mary Kawena, Elbert, Samuel H. (1986) “mama”, in Hawaiian Dictionary, Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press

Hungarian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: ma‧ma
• Rhymes: -mɒ

Noun

mama (plural mamák)

1. mom, mum

   Synonyms: anya, anyu, édesanya, anyuka, anyuci

   Coordinate term: papa

2. (dialectal) grandmom

Declension

Inflection (stem in long/high vowel, back harmony)
	singular	plural
nominative	mama	mamák
accusative	mamát	mamákat
dative	mamának	mamáknak
instrumental	mamával	mamákkal
causal-final	mamáért	mamákért
translative	mamává	mamákká
terminative	mamáig	mamákig
essive-formal	mamaként	mamákként
essive-modal	—	—
inessive	mamában	mamákban
superessive	mamán	mamákon
adessive	mamánál	mamáknál
illative	mamába	mamákba
sublative	mamára	mamákra
allative	mamához	mamákhoz
elative	mamából	mamákból
delative	mamáról	mamákról
ablative	mamától	mamáktól
non-attributive possessive - singular	mamáé	mamáké
non-attributive possessive - plural	mamáéi	mamákéi

Possessive forms of mama
possessor	single possession	multiple possessions
1st person sing.	mamám	mamáim
2nd person sing.	mamád	mamáid
3rd person sing.	mamája	mamái
1st person plural	mamánk	mamáink
2nd person plural	mamátok	mamáitok
3rd person plural	mamájuk	mamáik

Derived terms

Further reading

• mama in Bárczi, Géza and László Országh. A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára (‘The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language’, abbr.: ÉrtSz.). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN

Ido

Etymology

Borrowed from English mama, French maman, German Mama, Italian mamma, Russian ма́ма (máma), Spanish mamá.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmama/

Noun

mama (plural mamai)

1. mama, mom, mommy, mum

   Synonym: matro

   Coordinate terms: papa, patro

Indonesian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmama/
• Hyphenation: ma‧ma
• Rhymes: -ma, -a

Etymology 1

Originally from baby talk.

Noun

mama (plural mama-mama, first-person possessive mamaku, second-person possessive mamamu, third-person possessive mamanya)

1. mother: female parent.

   Synonyms: biyung, bunda, emak, embok, ibu, ibunda, ibung, indung, mak, mami, mandeh, mbok, umi

Alternative forms

• mamah

Etymology 2

Learned borrowing from Latin mamma, from Ancient Greek μάμμη (mámmē).

Noun

mama (plural mama-mama, first-person possessive mamaku, second-person possessive mamamu, third-person possessive mamanya)

1. mamma:
   1. (medicine) breast, udder: The milk-secreting organ of female humans and other mammals which includes the mammary gland and the nipple or teat.

      Synonyms: buah dada, bukit kembar, gunung kembar, payudara, susu, tetek, toket

   2. (meteorology) An accessory cloud like a mammary in appearance, which can form on the underside of most cloud genera.

Further reading

• “mama” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation — Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic Indonesia, 2016.

Ingrian

Etymology

Borrowed from Russian мама (mama).

Pronunciation

• (Ala-Laukaa) IPA^(key): /ˈmɑmɑ/,
• (Soikkola) IPA^(key): /ˈmɑmɑ/,
• Rhymes: -ɑmɑ
• Hyphenation: ma‧ma

Noun

mama

1. mum, mama
   • 1936, N. A. Iljin and V. I. Junus, Bukvari iƶoroin șkouluja vart, Leningrad: Riikin Ucebno-pedagogiceskoi Izdateljstva:

     Kana, ka-ka-ka, na, mama, kana.

     A hen, cluck cluck cluck, here, mummy, a hen.

Declension

Declension of mama (type 3/kana, no gradation, gemination)
	singular	plural
nominative	mama	mamat
genitive	maman	mammoin
partitive	mammaa	mamoja
illative	mammaa	mammoi
inessive	mamas	mamois
elative	mamast	mamoist
allative	mamalle	mamoille
adessive	mamal	mamoil
ablative	mamalt	mamoilt
translative	mamaks	mamoiks
essive	mamanna, mammaan	mamoinna, mammoin
exessive1)	mamant	mamoint
1) obsolete *) the accusative corresponds with either the genitive (sg) or nominative (pl) **) the comitative is formed by adding the suffix -ka? or -kä? to the genitive.

Coordinate terms

• papa (“dad; papa”)

References

• Ruben E. Nirvi (1971) Inkeroismurteiden Sanakirja, Helsinki: Suomalais-Ugrilainen Seura, page 295

Irish

Etymology

From Latin mamma.

Noun

mama m (genitive singular mama, nominative plural mamaí)

1. (literary) breast, pap
2. (anatomy) mamma

   Synonym: faireog mhamach

Declension

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
mama	mhama	not applicable
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “mama”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “mama”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Entries containing “mama” in New English-Irish Dictionary by Foras na Gaeilge.

Istriot

Etymology

From Latin mamma.

Noun

mama f

1. mom, mamma, mother

See also

• mare

Japanese

Romanization

mama

1. Rōmaji transcription of まま
2. Rōmaji transcription of ママ

Kabuverdianu

Etymology

From Portuguese mama.

Noun

mama

1. bosom
2. breast of a woman

Krisa

Pronoun

mama

1. you

Laboya

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):

Etymology 1

Verb

mama

1. to chew betel

Etymology 2

Noun

mama

1. to mother

References

• Allahverdi Verdizade (2019) “mama”, in Lamboya word list‎, Leiden: LexiRumah

Latgalian

Etymology

From Proto-Balto-Slavic *mā́ˀmāˀ. Cognates include Latvian mama and Lithuanian mama.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):
• Hyphenation: ma‧ma

Noun

mama f (diminutive mameņa)

1. (colloquial) mum, mummy

Declension

Synonyms

• (more formal) muote

Coordinate terms

• tēte (“dad”)

References

• A. Andronov, L. Leikuma (2008) Latgalīšu-Latvīšu-Krīvu sarunu vuordineica, Lvava, →ISBN, page 10

Lithuanian

Etymology

A nursery word. From Proto-Balto-Slavic *mā́ˀmāˀ, from Proto-Indo-European *méh₂-méh₂, a reduplication of *méh₂- - the root of *méh₂tēr (“mother”).

Cognate with Proto-Slavic *mama, German Muhme (“aunt”), Latin mamma (“mother, nurse”), Irish mam (“mother”) among others.

Noun

mamà f (plural mãmos) stress pattern 4

1. mother

Declension

Related terms

• mamýtė, mamẽlė (diminutive)

Lower Sorbian

Etymology

A nursery word. From Proto-Slavic *mama, from Proto-Balto-Slavic *mā́ˀmāˀ, from Proto-Indo-European *méh₂-méh₂, a reduplication of *méh₂- - the root of *méh₂tēr (“mother”).

Cognate with German Muhme (“aunt”), Latin mamma (“mother, nurse”), Irish mam (“mother”), Lithuanian mama, moma (“mother”) among others. Cf. Proto-Slavic *tata, *baba.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):

Noun

mama f pers (diminutive maminka)

1. mother, mom

Declension

Further reading

• Muka, Arnošt (1921, 1928) “mama”, in Słownik dolnoserbskeje rěcy a jeje narěcow (in German), St. Petersburg, Prague: ОРЯС РАН, ČAVU; Reprinted Bautzen: Domowina-Verlag, 2008
• Starosta, Manfred (1999) “mama”, in Dolnoserbsko-nimski słownik / Niedersorbisch-deutsches Wörterbuch (in German), Bautzen: Domowina-Verlag

Maguindanao

Etymology

From ma- and ama.

Adjective

mama

1. male

Noun

mama

1. a male

Maranao

Etymology

From ma- and ama.

Adjective

mama

1. male (clarification of this definition is needed)

Noun

mama

1. a male

Martuthunira

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mama/

Noun

mama

1. paternal uncle (one’s father’s brother)

References

• Dench, Alan Charles. 1995. Martuthunira: A Language of the Pilbara Region of Western Australia. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics. Series C-125.

Mauritian Creole

Etymology 1

From French maman.

Noun

mama

1. mother

Etymology 2

From Hindi मामा (māmā) and Marathi मामा (māmā).

Noun

mama

1. uncle

   Synonyms: chacha, tonton

References

• Baker, Philip & Hookoomsing, Vinesh Y. 1987. Dictionnaire de créole mauricien. Morisyen – English – Français

Mòcheno

Etymology

Possibly derived from Middle High German muome, from Old High German muoma, from Proto-West Germanic *mōmā (“mama, mother”), from Proto-Germanic *mōmǭ (“mama, mother; aunt, auntie”). Cognate with German Mama, English mama.

Noun

mama f

1. mother

References

• “mama” in Cimbrian, Ladin, Mòcheno: Getting to know 3 peoples. 2015. Servizio minoranze linguistiche locali della Provincia autonoma di Trento, Trento, Italy.
• Patuzzi, Umberto, ed., (2013) Luserna / Lusérn: Le nostre parole / Ünsarne börtar / Unsere Wörter , Luserna, Italy: Comitato unitario delle isole linguistiche storiche germaniche in Italia / Einheitskomitee der historischen deutschen Sprachinseln in Italien

Nigerian Pidgin

Noun

mama

1. mother

Old Polish

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *màma. First attested in the fifteenth century.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (10^th–15^th CE) /mama/
• IPA^(key): (15^th CE) /mama/

Noun

mama f

1. mom, mother
   • 1950 [1470], Władysław Kuraszkiewicz, Adam Wolff, editors, Zapiski i roty polskie XV-XVI wieku z ksiąg sądowych ziemi warszawskiej, number 1308:

     Yakom ya Malgorzacze, mamye mey, nye szabral dwu szuknyv

     [Jakom ja Małgorzacie, mamie mej, nie zabrał dwu sukniu]

2. wet nurse, nurse
   • Middle of the 15th century, Rozmyślanie o żywocie Pana Jezusa‎, page 12:

     Nye tako, yako ynne panny czynyv, yze schvkaya ynych opczych mam (non ut solent homines extraneam quaesivit nutricem mater puero), alye swe dzyeczatko svymy pyrszyamy karmyla (sc. Anna)

     [Nie tako, jako inne panny czynią, iże szukają inych obcych mam (non ut solent homines extraneam quaesivit nutricem mater puero), ale swe dzieciątko swymi pirsiami karmiła (sc. Anna)]

Derived terms

Descendants

• Polish: mama
• Silesian: mama

References

• Boryś, Wiesław (2005) “mama”, in Słownik etymologiczny języka polskiego (in Polish), Kraków: Wydawnictwo Literackie, →ISBN
• Mańczak, Witold (2017) “mama”, in Polski słownik etymologiczny (in Polish), Kraków: Polska Akademia Umiejętności, →ISBN
• Bańkowski, Andrzej (2000) “mama”, in Etymologiczny słownik języka polskiego [Etymological Dictionary of the Polish Language] (in Polish)
• B. Sieradzka-Baziur, editor (2011–2015), “mama”, in Słownik pojęciowy języka staropolskiego [Conceptual Dictionary of Old Polish] (in Polish), Kraków: IJP PAN, →ISBN

Old Slovak

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *mama.

Noun

mama f

1. mom, mother

Descendants

• Slovak: mama

References

• Majtán, Milan et al., editors (1991–2008), “mama”, in Historický slovník slovenského jazyka [Historical Dictionary of the Slovak Language] (in Slovak), volumes 1–7 (A – Ž), Bratislava: VEDA, →OCLC

Pali

Alternative forms

Pronoun

mama

1. genitive/dative singular of ahaṃ (“me”)

Panyjima

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mama/

Noun

mama

1. father

   Synonym: papu

2. paternal uncle (one’s father’s brother)

References

• Dench, Alan (1991). "Panyjima", in R.M.W. Dixon and Barry J. Blake: The Handbook of Australian Languages, Volume 4. Melbourne: Oxford University Press Australia, 125–244.

Papiamentu

Etymology

From Dutch mama.

Noun

mama

1. mother

Pitjantjatjara

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):

Noun

mama

1. father

   Synonym: punari

2. father’s older brother or close male friend; uncle

   Synonym: mama puḻka

3. god

Derived terms

Polish

Etymology

Inherited from Old Polish mama.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈma.ma/
• (Middle Polish) IPA^(key): /ˈma.ma/

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ama
• Syllabification: ma‧ma

Noun

mama f

1. mum, mom, mother
2. (Middle Polish) wetnurse

   Synonym: mamka

3. (Middle Polish) nurse, caregiver

   Synonym: piastunka

Declension

Derived terms

Trivia

According to Słownik frekwencyjny polszczyzny współczesnej (1990), mama is one of the most used words in Polish, appearing 0 times in scientific texts, 0 times in news, 1 time in essays, 17 times in fiction, and 93 times in plays, each out of a corpus of 100,000 words, totaling 111 times, making it the 552nd most common word in a corpus of 500,000 words.

References

Further reading

• mama in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• mama in Polish dictionaries at PWN
• Maria Renata Mayenowa, Stanisław Rospond, Witold Taszycki, Stefan Hrabec, Władysław Kuraszkiewicz (2010-2023) “mama”, in Słownik Polszczyzny XVI Wieku [A Dictionary of 16th Century Polish]
• Magdalena Majdak (19.02.2015) “MAMA”, in Elektroniczny Słownik Języka Polskiego XVII i XVIII Wieku [Electronic Dictionary of the Polish Language of the XVII and XVIII Century]
• Samuel Bogumił Linde (1807–1814) “mama”, in Słownik języka polskiego‎
• Aleksander Zdanowicz (1861) “mama”, in Słownik języka polskiego, Wilno 1861‎
• J. Karłowicz, A. Kryński, W. Niedźwiedzki, editors (1902), “mama”, in Słownik języka polskiego‎ (in Polish), volume 2, Warsaw, page 868
• mama in Narodowy Fotokorpus Języka Polskiego

Portuguese

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: (Portugal) -ɐmɐ, (Brazil) -ɐ̃mɐ
• Hyphenation: ma‧ma

Etymology 1

From Latin mamma. Compare Italian mammella, French mamelle.

Noun

mama f (plural mamas)

1. (human) breast, bosom
2. (animal) udder, teat

Etymology 2

Verb

mama

1. inflection of mamar:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative

Quechua

Noun

mama

1. mother
2. madam, lady
3. (figuratively) nest, home
4. (geology) vein
5. (mathematics) matrix

Declension

Derived terms

• jatun mama
• mama qucha

See also

• tayta

Rapa Nui

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *mamaq.

Verb

mama

1. to chew

Romanian

Noun

mama

1. definite nominative/accusative singular of mamă

Rwanda-Rundi

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *mààmá.

Noun

māmá class 1a (plural bāmâmá class 2a)

1. my mother
2. my maternal aunt

See also

• nyoko (“your mother”)
• nyina (“his/her mother”)
• data (“my father”)

Sardinian

Etymology

From Latin mamma, from Ancient Greek μάμμη (mámmē).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmama/

Noun

mama f (plural mamas) (Limba Sarda Comuna)

1. mother

See also

• babbu
• tzia

Serbo-Croatian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mâma/
• Hyphenation: ma‧ma

Noun

mȁma f (Cyrillic spelling ма̏ма)

1. mom

Declension

Silesian

Etymology

Inherited from Old Polish mama.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmama/
• Rhymes: -ama
• Syllabification: ma‧ma

Noun

mama f

1. (colloquial) mom, mother

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:muter

   Coordinate terms: see Thesaurus:fater

Declension

Related terms

Further reading

• mama in dykcjonorz.eu
• mama in silling.org

Slovak

Etymology

Inherited from Old Slovak mama, from Proto-Slavic *mama, from Proto-Balto-Slavic *mā́ˀmāˀ, from Proto-Indo-European *méh₂-méh₂, a reduplication of *méh₂- - the root of *méh₂tēr (“mother”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):

Noun

mama f (genitive singular mamy, nominative plural mamy, genitive plural mám, declension pattern of žena)

1. mama

Declension

Derived terms

Further reading

• “mama”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2024

Spanish

Etymology

From Latin mamma.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmama/
• Rhymes: -ama
• Syllabification: ma‧ma

Noun

mama f (plural mamas)

1. (anatomy) mamma, breast

   Synonyms: pecho, seno

Related terms

Verb

mama

1. inflection of mamar:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative

Further reading

• “mama”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014

Sranan Tongo

Alternative forms

• m'ma
• mma

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mːa/, /maˈma/

Noun

mama

1. mother
2. (figuratively, in compounds) origin, source, centre, basis

Derived terms

Swahili

Pronunciation

• Audio (Kenya)

  (file)

Noun

mama (n class, plural mama)

1. mother (female parent)

   Coordinate term: baba

2. Respectful term of address for an older woman.

Derived terms

• mama mkwe (“mother-in-law”)
• mama wa kambo (“stepmother”)
• mama mboga (“female vegetable hawker”)
• mama ntilie (“female food hawker”)
• mama samaki (“female fish hawker”)
• mama mdogo (“mother's younger sister”)
• mama mkubwa (“mother's elder sister”)

Tagalog

Etymology 1

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *mama, from Proto-Austronesian *mamah (“father’s brother”). Also possibly borrowed from Sanskrit माम (māma) or from Tamil மாமா (māmā). Compare Malay mamak.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmamaʔ/,
• Hyphenation: ma‧ma

Noun

mamà (Baybayin spelling ᜋᜋ)

1. a term used in referring to, or in addressing, a male unknown to the speaker

   Synonyms: mang, manong

2. (archaic, familiar) uncle (parent's younger brother)
3. (archaic, familiar, childish) any relative of the father or mother

Derived terms

• mang

See also

• ale

Etymology 2

Each pronunciation has a different source:

• /maˈma/ from Spanish mamá, adapted from French maman
• /ma.ma/ from Hokkien 媽媽／妈妈 (mâ-mâ)
• /ˈmama/ from English mama / momma

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: ma‧ma
• IPA^(key): /maˈma/, (Spanish Pronunciation)
• IPA^(key): /mama/, (Hokkien Pronunciation)
• IPA^(key): /ˈmama/, (English Pronunciation)

Noun

mamâ (Baybayin spelling ᜋᜋ, masculine papa) (colloquial, familiar, childish)

1. mum, mom

   Synonyms: ma, ina, nanay, inay, nay, inang, nanang

Etymology 3

From Proto-Philippine *mamaq, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *mamaq (“chew without intending to swallow, as betel nut; premasticate food to give to an infant; premasticated food”). Compare Javanese ꦩꦩꦃ (mamah), and Malay mamah.

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: ma‧ma
• IPA^(key): /maˈmaʔ/,

Noun

mamâ (Baybayin spelling ᜋᜋ)

1. betelnut chewing

Derived terms

See also

Etymology 4

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: ma‧ma
• IPA^(key): /maˈmaʔ/,

Noun

mamâ (Baybayin spelling ᜋᜋ) (obsolete)

1. name of the Baybayin letter ᜋ, corresponding to "ma"

See also

• ma

Further reading

• “mama”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, Manila, 2018
• San Buena Ventura, Fr. Pedro de (1613) Juan de Silva, editor, Vocabulario de lengua tagala: El romance castellano puesto primero‎, La Noble Villa de Pila
  • page 173: “Comer) Mama (pc) buyo”
  • page 400: “M) Mama (pc) letra del .A.b.c. Tagalog .|. mama yaon .|. ᜋ . ſumulat ca nang mama nang iniõg ſulat, eſcriue la. M. de bueſtra eſcritura, yſulat mo aco nang mama, eſcriueme vna .M.”
  • page 575: “Tio) Mama (pp) llamandole el ſobrino y como en Eſpañol vſamos llamar tio al hias viejo, tambien lo vſan eſtos y diçen, mama ay, ola tio, yaring ſi mama a, eſte mi tio.”

Tetum

Verb

mama

1. to chew betel

Tok Pisin

Etymology

From English mama.

Noun

mama

1. mother

   Antonym: papa

   • 1989, Buk Baibel long Tok Pisin, Port Moresby: Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, Jenesis 3:20:

     Man i kolim meri bilong em Iv, long wanem, em i tumbuna mama bilong olgeta manmeri.

     →New International Version translation

Derived terms

• mama karim

Tumbuka

Noun

mama class 1a (plural ŵamama class 2)

1. mother, mom

Coordinate terms

• dada

Turkish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):
• Hyphenation: ma‧ma

Noun

mama (definite accusative mamayı, plural mamalar)

1. baby food
2. pet food
3. food (in child's language)

Declension

Inflection
Nominative	mama
Definite accusative	mamayı
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	mama	mamalar
Definite accusative	mamayı	mamaları
Dative	mamaya	mamalara
Locative	mamada	mamalarda
Ablative	mamadan	mamalardan
Genitive	mamanın	mamaların
Possessive forms Nominative Singular Plural 1st singular mamam mamalarım 2nd singular maman mamaların 3rd singular maması mamaları 1st plural mamamız mamalarımız 2nd plural mamanız mamalarınız 3rd plural mamaları mamaları Definite accusative Singular Plural 1st singular mamamı mamalarımı 2nd singular mamanı mamalarını 3rd singular mamasını mamalarını 1st plural mamamızı mamalarımızı 2nd plural mamanızı mamalarınızı 3rd plural mamalarını mamalarını Dative Singular Plural 1st singular mamama mamalarıma 2nd singular mamana mamalarına 3rd singular mamasına mamalarına 1st plural mamamıza mamalarımıza 2nd plural mamanıza mamalarınıza 3rd plural mamalarına mamalarına Locative Singular Plural 1st singular mamamda mamalarımda 2nd singular mamanda mamalarında 3rd singular mamasında mamalarında 1st plural mamamızda mamalarımızda 2nd plural mamanızda mamalarınızda 3rd plural mamalarında mamalarında Ablative Singular Plural 1st singular mamamdan mamalarımdan 2nd singular mamandan mamalarından 3rd singular mamasından mamalarından 1st plural mamamızdan mamalarımızdan 2nd plural mamanızdan mamalarınızdan 3rd plural mamalarından mamalarından Genitive Singular Plural 1st singular mamamın mamalarımın 2nd singular mamanın mamalarının 3rd singular mamasının mamalarının 1st plural mamamızın mamalarımızın 2nd plural mamanızın mamalarınızın 3rd plural mamalarının mamalarının

Upper Sorbian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):

Noun

mama f (diminutive mamička or mamimka)

1. mama, mommy, mum

Declension

Related terms

Venda

Verb

mama

1. to suck

Venetian

Etymology

From Latin mamma. Compare Italian mamma.

Noun

mama f (plural mame)

1. mother
2. mum, mummy

Wanyi

Etymology

Compare Guugu Yimidhirr mayi.

Noun

mama

1. (vegetable-based) food

References

• Mary Laughren, Rob Pensalfini, Tom Mylne, Accounting for verb-initial order in an Australian language, in Verb First: On the syntax of verb-initial languages (2005)

West Makian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈma.ma/

Noun

mama

1. mother

   Synonym: mamu

Usage notes

The terms mama and mamu are used for referring to a mother, whereas the term yaya is used for addressing one's mother.

References

• Clemens Voorhoeve (1982) The Makian languages and their neighbours‎, Pacific linguistics

Ye'kwana

Alternative forms

• maama (Caura River dialect)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):

Noun

mama

1. (Cunucunuma River dialect) first-person possessed form of nü

Yoruba

Alternative forms

• mọ̀mọ́

Etymology

Probably influenced by English mama, may have existed before contact with English though. Possibly a corruption of mọ̀mọ́.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mà.má/

Noun

màmá

1. mother

   Synonyms: iye, ìyá, mọ́mì, yèyé, èye

2. a term of endearment or respect for an older woman or female relative

   Synonyms: iye, ìyá, mọ́mì, yèyé

Coordinate terms

• bàbá