mama

See also: Appendix:Variations of "mama"

Languages (73)

English

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Aklanon • Amis • 'Are'are • Aukan • Aymara • Azerbaijani • Bavarian • Bikol Central • Brunei Malay • Catalan • Cebuano • Chinook Jargon • Dutch • Ewe • Fijian • Galician • Garo • Guinea-Bissau Creole • Hausa • Hawaiian • Hungarian • Ido • Ilocano • Indonesian • Ingrian • Irish • Istriot • Japanese • Kabuverdianu • Krisa • Laboya • Latgalian • Lithuanian • Lower Sorbian • Maguindanao • Maranao • Martuthunira • Mauritian Creole • Mòcheno • Nigerian Pidgin • Old Polish • Old Slovak • Pali • Panyjima • Papiamentu • Pitjantjatjara • Polish • Portuguese • Quechua • Rapa Nui • Romanian • Rwanda-Rundi • Sardinian • Serbo-Croatian • Silesian • Slovak • Spanish • Sranan Tongo • Swahili • Tagalog • Tetum • Tok Pisin • Tumbuka • Turkish • Turkmen • Upper Sorbian • Venda • Venetan • Wanyi • West Makian • Ye'kwana • Yoruba

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Page categories

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

• baby-mama
• baby mama
• big mama
• crunchy mama
• hoochie mama
• mama-bear
• mama bear
• mama grizzly
• mama pad
• mama put
• mama-san
• mama shop
• save the drama for your mama
• scrunchy mama
• silky mama
• sugar mama
• yo mama

 

Related terms

• mom
• mommy
• mother
• mum
• mummy

 

Translations

mother — see mother

mum — see mum

Anagrams

• amma, ma'am

Aklanon

Etymology

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

Verb

mama

1. to chew (tobacco, betel)

Amis

Noun

mama

1. father

'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)

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

   Synonym: bibi

2. mom

   Synonym: ana

3. midwife

   Synonym: mamaça

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

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/ [ˈma.ma]

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/ [maˈmaʔ]

Noun

mamâ

1. betel nut

Derived terms

• magmama
• mamaon

 

Brunei Malay

Noun

mama

1. A mother.

   Synonym: babu

Catalan

Etymology 1

From Latin mamma.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic) [ˈma.mə]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [ˈma.ma]

Noun

mama f (plural mames)

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

Derived terms

• càncer de mama (“breast cancer”)

Related terms

• mamar
• mamari
• mamella
• mare

 

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

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): [màː.mə́]

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/, [ˈmɐ.mə]

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): [ˈmɒmɒ]

• 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

Compound words

• kismama
• nagymama
• pótmama

 

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

Ilocano

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /maˈma/ [mɐˈma]
• Hyphenation: ma‧ma

Noun

mamá (Kur-itan spelling ᜋᜋ)

1. momma (a betel nut plus other ingredients to be chewed on)

   Maiparit ti agtupra ti mama.

   Spitting of momma is not allowed.

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 of Indonesia, 2016.

Ingrian

Etymology

Borrowed from Russian мама (mama).

Pronunciation

• (Ala-Laukaa) IPA^(key): /ˈmɑmɑ/, [ˈmɑmɑ]
• (Soikkola) IPA^(key): /ˈmɑmɑ/, [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

• Fedor Tumansky (1790) “мама”, in Опытъ повѣствованїя о дѣянїях, положенїи, состоянїи и раздѣленїи Санкт-Петербургской губернїи [An experiment of an account of the acts, location, condition and division of the Saint Petersburg gubernia], Краткїй словарь ижерскаго, финскаго, эстонскаго, чюдскаго, и ямскаго нарѣчїя съ россїйскимъ переводомъ [A short dictionary of the Ingrian, Finnish, Estonian, Chud and Yamtian dialects with a Russian translation], page 699
• 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

Declension of mama

Fourth declension

Bare forms Case Singular Plural Nominative mama mamaí Vocative a mhama a mhamaí Genitive mama mamaí Dative mama mamaí

Forms with the definite article Case Singular Plural Nominative an mama na mamaí Genitive an mhama na mamaí Dative leis an mama don mhama leis na mamaí

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
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “mama”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• “mama”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2024

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): [ˈmaːma]

Etymology 1

Verb

mama

1. to chew betel

Etymology 2

Noun

mama

1. to mother

References

• Allahverdi Verdizade (2019) “mama”, in Lamboya word list‎^[1], Leiden: LexiRumah

Latgalian

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈmama]
• Hyphenation: ma‧ma

Noun

mama f (diminutive mameņa)

1. (colloquial) mum, mummy

Declension

Declension of mama (type 4 noun)

	singular	plural
nominative	mama	mamys, mamas1)
genitive	mamys, mamas1)	mamu
dative	mamai	mamom
accusative	mamu	mamys, mamas1)
instrumental	mamu	mamom
locative	mamā	mamuos
vocative	mama, mam	mamys, mamas1)
1) dialectal

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

Declension of mamà

	singular (vienaskaita)	plural (daugiskaita)
nominative (vardininkas)	mamà	mãmos
genitive (kilmininkas)	mamõs	mamų̃
dative (naudininkas)	mãmai	mamóms
accusative (galininkas)	mãmą	mamàs
instrumental (įnagininkas)	mamà	mamomìs
locative (vietininkas)	mamojè	mamosè
vocative (šauksmininkas)	mãma	mãmos

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): [ˈmama]

Noun

mama f (diminutive maminka)

1. mother, mom

Declension

Declension of mama

	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	mama	mamje	mamy
Genitive	mamy	mamowu	mamow
Dative	mamje	mamoma	mamam
Accusative	mamu	mamje	mamy
Instrumental	mamu	mamoma	mamami
Locative	mamje	mamoma	mamach

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- +‎ ama.

Adjective

mama

1. male (clarification of this definition is needed)

Noun

mama

1. a male

Martuthunira

FWOTD – 10 April 2014

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 [Our Words], 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. (attested in Masovia) mom, mother
   • 1950 [1470], Władysław Kuraszkiewicz, Adam Wolff, editors, Zapiski i roty polskie XV-XVI wieku z ksiąg sądowych ziemi warszawskiej, number 1308, Warsaw:

     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^[2], 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

nouns

• mamka

 

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, Ewa Deptuchowa, Joanna Duska, Mariusz Frodyma, Beata Hejmo, Dorota Janeczko, Katarzyna Jasińska, Krystyna Kajtoch, Joanna Kozioł, Marian Kucała, Dorota Mika, Gabriela Niemiec, Urszula Poprawska, Elżbieta Supranowicz, Ludwika Szelachowska-Winiarzowa, Zofia Wanicowa, Piotr Szpor, Bartłomiej Borek, editors (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

Alternative scripts

• 𑀫𑀫 (Brahmi script)
• मम (Devanagari script)
• মম (Bengali script)
• මම (Sinhalese script)
• မမ (Burmese script)
• มม or มะมะ (Thai script)
• ᨾᨾ (Tai Tham script)
• ມມ or ມະມະ (Lao script)
• មម (Khmer script)
• 𑄟𑄟 (Chakma script)

Pronoun

mama

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

Panyjima

FWOTD – 2 April 2016

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): [ˈmɐmɐ]

Noun

mama

1. father

   Synonym: punari

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

   Synonym: mama puḻka

3. god

Derived terms

• mama maḻatja (“father's younger brother; uncle”)
• mama ngunytju (“parents”)
• maṟa mama (“thumb”)
• tjina mama (“big toe”)

 

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 (diminutive (dialectal) mamula)

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

   Synonym: mamka

3. (Middle Polish) nurse, caregiver

   Synonym: piastunka

Declension

Declension of mama

	singular	plural
nominative	mama	mamy
genitive	mamy	mam
dative	mamie	mamom
accusative	mamę	mamy
instrumental	mamą	mamami
locative	mamie	mamach
vocative	mamo	mamy

Derived terms

nouns

• bajzelmama
• burdelmama
• tata z mamą

 

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.

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

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈmɐ̃.mɐ/

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈmɐ̃.mɐ/
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈmɐ.ma/

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈmɐ.mɐ/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈmɐ.mɐ/
  • (Northern Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈma.mɐ/

• 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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈma.ma/

Noun

mama

1. mother

   Coordinate terms: yaya, tayta, tata (“father”)

2. madam, lady

   Synonym: wayru

   Coordinate terms: tayta, tata (“mister”)

3. (geology) vein
4. (mathematics) matrix

Declension

declension of mama

	singular	plural
nominative	mama	mamakuna
accusative	mamata	mamakunata
dative	mamaman	mamakunaman
genitive	mamap	mamakunap
locative	mamapi	mamakunapi
terminative	mamakama	mamakunakama
ablative	mamamanta	mamakunamanta
instrumental	mamawan	mamakunawan
comitative	mamantin	mamakunantin
abessive	mamannaq	mamakunannaq
comparative	mamahina	mamakunahina
causative	mamarayku	mamakunarayku
benefactive	mamapaq	mamakunapaq
associative	mamapura	mamakunapura
distributive	mamanka	mamakunanka
exclusive	mamalla	mamakunalla

possessive forms of mama

ñuqap - first-person singular

ñuqap (my)	singular	plural
nominative	mamay	mamaykuna
accusative	mamayta	mamaykunata
dative	mamayman	mamaykunaman
genitive	mamaypa	mamaykunap
locative	mamaypi	mamaykunapi
terminative	mamaykama	mamaykunakama
ablative	mamaymanta	mamaykunamanta
instrumental	mamaywan	mamaykunawan
comitative	mamaynintin	mamaykunantin
abessive	mamayninnaq	mamaykunannaq
comparative	mamayhina	mamaykunahina
causative	mamayrayku	mamaykunarayku
benefactive	mamaypaq	mamaykunapaq
associative	mamaypura	mamaykunapura
distributive	mamayninka	mamaykunanka
exclusive	mamaylla	mamaykunalla

qampa - second-person singular

qampa (your)	singular	plural
nominative	mamayki	mamaykikuna
accusative	mamaykita	mamaykikunata
dative	mamaykiman	mamaykikunaman
genitive	mamaykipa	mamaykikunap
locative	mamaykipi	mamaykikunapi
terminative	mamaykikama	mamaykikunakama
ablative	mamaykimanta	mamaykikunamanta
instrumental	mamaykiwan	mamaykikunawan
comitative	mamaykintin	mamaykikunantin
abessive	mamaykinnaq	mamaykikunannaq
comparative	mamaykihina	mamaykikunahina
causative	mamaykirayku	mamaykikunarayku
benefactive	mamaykipaq	mamaykikunapaq
associative	mamaykipura	mamaykikunapura
distributive	mamaykinka	mamaykikunanka
exclusive	mamaykilla	mamaykikunalla

paypa - third-person singular

paypa (his/her/its)	singular	plural
nominative	maman	mamankuna
accusative	mamanta	mamankunata
dative	mamanman	mamankunaman
genitive	mamanpa	mamankunap
locative	mamanpi	mamankunapi
terminative	mamankama	mamankunakama
ablative	mamanmanta	mamankunamanta
instrumental	mamanwan	mamankunawan
comitative	mamanintin	mamankunantin
abessive	mamanninnaq	mamankunannaq
comparative	mamanhina	mamankunahina
causative	mamanrayku	mamankunarayku
benefactive	mamanpaq	mamankunapaq
associative	mamanpura	mamankunapura
distributive	mamaninka	mamankunanka
exclusive	mamanlla	mamankunalla

ñuqanchikpa - first-person inclusive plural

ñuqanchikpa (our(incl))	singular	plural
nominative	mamanchik	mamanchikkuna
accusative	mamanchikta	mamanchikkunata
dative	mamanchikman	mamanchikkunaman
genitive	mamanchikpa	mamanchikkunap
locative	mamanchikpi	mamanchikkunapi
terminative	mamanchikkama	mamanchikkunakama
ablative	mamanchikmanta	mamanchikkunamanta
instrumental	mamanchikwan	mamanchikkunawan
comitative	mamanchiknintin	mamanchikkunantin
abessive	mamanchikninnaq	mamanchikkunannaq
comparative	mamanchikhina	mamanchikkunahina
causative	mamanchikrayku	mamanchikkunarayku
benefactive	mamanchikpaq	mamanchikkunapaq
associative	mamanchikpura	mamanchikkunapura
distributive	mamanchikninka	mamanchikkunanka
exclusive	mamanchiklla	mamanchikkunalla

ñuqaykup - first-person exclusive plural

ñuqaykup (our(excl))	singular	plural
nominative	mamayku	mamaykukuna
accusative	mamaykuta	mamaykukunata
dative	mamaykuman	mamaykukunaman
genitive	mamaykupa	mamaykukunap
locative	mamaykupi	mamaykukunapi
terminative	mamaykukama	mamaykukunakama
ablative	mamaykumanta	mamaykukunamanta
instrumental	mamaykuwan	mamaykukunawan
comitative	mamaykuntin	mamaykukunantin
abessive	mamaykunnaq	mamaykukunannaq
comparative	mamaykuhina	mamaykukunahina
causative	mamaykurayku	mamaykukunarayku
benefactive	mamaykupaq	mamaykukunapaq
associative	mamaykupura	mamaykukunapura
distributive	mamaykunka	mamaykukunanka
exclusive	mamaykulla	mamaykukunalla

qamkunap - second-person plural

qamkunap (your(pl))	singular	plural
nominative	mamaykichik	mamaykichikkuna
accusative	mamaykichikta	mamaykichikkunata
dative	mamaykichikman	mamaykichikkunaman
genitive	mamaykichikpa	mamaykichikkunap
locative	mamaykichikpi	mamaykichikkunapi
terminative	mamaykichikkama	mamaykichikkunakama
ablative	mamaykichikmanta	mamaykichikkunamanta
instrumental	mamaykichikwan	mamaykichikkunawan
comitative	mamaykichiknintin	mamaykichikkunantin
abessive	mamaykichikninnaq	mamaykichikkunannaq
comparative	mamaykichikhina	mamaykichikkunahina
causative	mamaykichikrayku	mamaykichikkunarayku
benefactive	mamaykichikpaq	mamaykichikkunapaq
associative	mamaykichikpura	mamaykichikkunapura
distributive	mamaykichikninka	mamaykichikkunanka
exclusive	mamaykichiklla	mamaykichikkunalla

paykunap - third-person plural

paykunap (their)	singular	plural
nominative	mamanku	mamankukuna
accusative	mamankuta	mamankukunata
dative	mamankuman	mamankukunaman
genitive	mamankupa	mamankukunap
locative	mamankupi	mamankukunapi
terminative	mamankukama	mamankukunakama
ablative	mamankumanta	mamankukunamanta
instrumental	mamankuwan	mamankukunawan
comitative	mamankuntin	mamankukunantin
abessive	mamankunnaq	mamankukunannaq
comparative	mamankuhina	mamankukunahina
causative	mamankurayku	mamankukunarayku
benefactive	mamankupaq	mamankukunapaq
associative	mamankupura	mamankukunapura
distributive	mamankunka	mamankukunanka
exclusive	mamankulla	mamankukunalla

Derived terms

• hatun mama
• mamacha
• mamaku
• mamakuna
• Pacha Mama
• qucha mama

 

See also

• ayllu

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

Declension of mama

	singular	plural
nominative	mama	mame
genitive	mame	mama
dative	mami	mamama
accusative	mamu	mame
vocative	mamo	mame
locative	mami	mamama
instrumental	mamom	mamama

Silesian

Etymology

Inherited from Old Polish mama.

Pronunciation

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

Noun

mama f

1. (colloquial) mom, mother

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:muter

   Coordinate terms: see Thesaurus:fater

Declension

Declension of mama

	singular	plural
nominative	mama	mamy
genitive	mamy	mam
dative	mamie	mamōm
accusative	mamã	mamy
instrumental	mamōm	mamami/mamōma
locative	mamie	mamach
vocative	mamo	mamy

Related terms

verbs

• mamczyć impf

 

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): [ˈmama]

Noun

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

1. mama

Declension

Declension of mama

	singular	plural
nominative	mama	mamy
genitive	mamy	mám
dative	mame	mamám
accusative	mamu	mamy
locative	mame	mamách
instrumental	mamou	mamami

Derived terms

• mamička f
• mamina f
• mami f

 

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/ [ˈma.ma]
• Rhymes: -ama
• Syllabification: ma‧ma

Noun

mama f (plural mamas)

1. (anatomy) mamma, breast

   Synonyms: pecho, seno

Related terms

• mamar
• mamífero

 

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 [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), 23rd edition, Royal Spanish Academy, 2014 October 16

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

• granmama
• gronmama
• Mama Aisa
• Mama Sranan
• mamabere
• mamafoto
• mamafowru
• mamakaw
• mamakerki
• mamakondre
• mamapanpan
• mamapima
• mamasroto
• mamatongo
• mamawèt
• watramama
• yesimama

 

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

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ˈmamaʔ/ [ˈmaː.mɐʔ]
• Rhymes: -amaʔ
• Syllabification: 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

• (Standard Tagalog)
  • IPA^(key): /maˈma/ [mɐˈma] (Spanish pronunciation)
    • Rhymes: -a
  • IPA^(key): /mama/ [ma.ma] (Hokkien pronunciation)
    • Rhymes: -ama
  • IPA^(key): /ˈmama/ [ˈmaː.mɐ] (English pronunciation)
    • Rhymes: -ama
• Syllabification: ma‧ma

Noun

mama or mamá (masculine papa, Baybayin spelling ᜋᜋ) (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

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /maˈmaʔ/ [mɐˈmaʔ]
• Rhymes: -aʔ
• Syllabification: ma‧ma

Noun

mamâ (Baybayin spelling ᜋᜋ)

1. betelnut chewing

Derived terms

• magmam-in
• mam-in
• maminan
• mangmama
• palamam-an
• palamam-inan
• palamama
• pamama
• pamamain

 

See also

• buyo
• hitso
• ikmo
• itmo
• nganga
• sama

 

Etymology 4

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /maˈmaʔ/ [mɐˈmaʔ]
• Rhymes: -aʔ
• Syllabification: ma‧ma

Noun

mamâ (Baybayin spelling ᜋᜋ) (obsolete)

1. name of the Baybayin letter ᜋ (ma), 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^[3], 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.”

Anagrams

• amam

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): [mɑˈmɑ]
• 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

Turkmen

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [maːma]

Etymology 1

Noun

mama

1. maternal grandmother
2. term of address for old women

Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

mama

1. smallpox

   Synonym: jäjek

Upper Sorbian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈmama]

Noun

mama f (diminutive mamička or mamimka)

1. mama, mommy, mum

Declension

Declension of mama

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	mama	mamje	mamy
genitive	mamy	mamow	mamow
dative	mamje	mamomaj	mamam
accusative	mamu	mamje	mamy
instrumental	mamu	mamomaj	mamami
locative	mamje	mamomaj	mamach
vocative	mama	mamje	mamy

Related terms

• mać
• maćerka

 

Venda

Verb

mama

1. to suck

Venetan

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^[4], Pacific linguistics

Ye'kwana

Variant orthographies

ALIV	mama
Brazilian standard	mama
New Tribes	mama

Alternative forms

• maama (Caura River dialect)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [mama]

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