mama

noun

ma·​ma ˈmä-mə How to pronounce mama (audio)
 chiefly British  mə-ˈmä
variants or less commonly mamma or momma
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.
Her mama smiled then, placing a hand over Jean’s. David Wright Faladé, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025 Matthew McConaughey got it from his mama. Andrea Mandell, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2025 And love got her here, now a happy mama of three with her love. Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 24 Sep. 2025 No hubby tonight in the audience but her kids were there; in fact, the whole clan moved to Los Angeles from the east coast to support mama in the ballroom. Lynette Rice, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2025 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 3 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

mama

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

More from Merriam-Webster on mama

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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