noun
Meaning 1
mamma; mother
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: childish
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
mammy
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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rhymes with -æmi
noun
Meaning 2
In the southern United States, a black nanny employed to look after white children; or in the antebellum South, a female slave who was close to the household and looked after the children.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, derogatory, historical, often
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 3
informal terms for a mother
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: ma, mama, mamma, mom, momma, mommy, mum, mummy
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: mother, female parent
noun
Meaning 4
an offensive term for a Black nursemaid in the southern U.S.
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: nanny, nursemaid, nurse
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English mam Proto-Germanic *-j-, *-ij- Proto-West Germanic *-i, *-ī Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English mamma ▲ English -y English mammy From mam + -y, or from mamma + -y.
Across languages
Translations
11 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- French: maman — child's name for mother
- German: Mami — child's name for mother
- German: Mama. — child's name for mother
- Hebrew: אמא — child's name for mother
- Macedonian: мама (mama) — child's name for mother
- Portuguese: mamãe — child's name for mother
- Spanish: mamá — child's name for mother
- Spanish: mami. — child's name for mother
- Walloon: moman — child's name for mother
- Walloon: mame — child's name for mother
- Walloon: man — child's name for mother