mama

noun

ma·​ma ˈmä-mə How to pronounce mama (audio)
chiefly British mə-ˈmä
variants or less commonly mamma or momma
Synonyms of mamanext
1
: mother
2
slang : wife, woman

Examples of mama in a Sentence

I'm not your mama—you'll have to clean up after yourself.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Turns out that her mama also had the gift for sharing life mottos that are worth repeating. Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 2 May 2026 The funny women are both proud blonde mamas and are even within an inch of each other's height. Laura Lane, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026 While the mama cat left the nest to get some food and water, Bitsy sat on all the baby kittens. Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 2026 The oldest of her three sons, Fernando is one of the prouder mama’s boys on the planet. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mama

Word History

Etymology

baby talk

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mama was in 1579

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mama.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mama. Accessed 9 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

mama

noun
ma·​ma
variants also mamma or momma
ˈmäm-ə

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