mum

⁴mum

Definition of MUM

chiefly British variant of mom

¹mum

adjective \ˈməm\

Definition of MUM

: silent <keep mum>

Examples of MUM

1. I'd like to know how much they paid, but they've been mum on that subject.
2. <kept mum about the surprise bridal shower>

Origin of MUM

Middle English mom, momme, probably imitative of a sound made with closed lips

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to MUM

Synonyms

dumb, silent, mute, muted, speechless, uncommunicative, wordless

Antonyms

communicative, speaking, talking

Related Words

inarticulate, tongue-tied; nonvocal, voiceless; dumbstruck; sulking, sulky, sullen

Near Antonyms

articulate, eloquent, fluent, voluble, well-spoken; gabby, garrulous, loquacious, talkative, talky; outspoken, unreserved, vocal; facile, glib, silver-tongued, smooth-tongued

Rhymes with MUM

bum, chum, come, crumb, cum, drum, dumb, from, glum, gum, hum, lum, numb, plum, plumb, rum, scrum, scum, slum, some, strum, sum, them, thrum, thumb

²mum

intransitive verb

mummedmum·ming

Definition of MUM

1

: to perform in a pantomime

2

: to go about merrymaking in disguise during festivals

Origin of MUM

Middle English mommen, to mumble, perform (a mummer's play), probably in part from mom, in part from Middle French momer to go masked

First Known Use: 1530

³mum

noun

Definition of MUM

: a strong ale or beer

Origin of MUM

German Mumme

First Known Use: 1640

⁵mum

noun

Definition of MUM

: chrysanthemum

First Known Use of MUM

1917

Other Seed Plant Terms

aubergine, box, bramble, briar, composite, perpetual, pulse, trefoil