WordGarden.iomamma
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /mˈæmə/
US
- /ˈmɑmə/
Meanings
Noun
an informal word for one's mother
a mammary gland or breast
Beyond the definition
"Mamma" is a warm, familiar word for a mother. It is more emotional and intimate than the more formal "mother," and it often suggests closeness, care, and comfort. In many languages and cultures, similar forms like "mama" or "mamma" are among the first words children use for the woman who raises and cares for them.
The word can also be used in a gentle, affectionate way for an animal with babies, as in "a mamma cat with her kittens." In everyday use, it usually points to love, protection, and the strong bond between a child and a mother.
The word "mamma" is a tender, familiar way to say "mother." It is often used by young children, but adults may use it too when they want to sound loving, emotional, or close. Compared with "mother," which can sound formal, and "mom," which is common in everyday English, "mamma" often feels softer, older, or more expressive. The spelling is especially common in some varieties of English and in contexts influenced by other languages, such as Italian.
This kind of word appears in many languages because simple sounds like "ma" are easy for babies to make. For that reason, words like mama, mamma, and similar forms are widely understood as names for a mother or a mother figure. In stories, songs, or family speech, "mamma" can carry a strong sense of comfort, dependence, and affection.
The meaning can also extend a little beyond human family life. People sometimes say "mamma bird," "mamma dog," or similar phrases when talking about a female animal caring for her young. In some cases, it may even be used for a woman in a caring or protective role, though this is less central than its main meaning. Most of the time, "mamma" simply means a mother, with extra warmth and tenderness in the way it sounds.
Examples
- 1
Family address
Mamma, can I sit next to you?
- 2
Childlike tone
She still called her mother "Mamma" when she was tired or upset.
- Usage
Mamma often sounds childlike, old-fashioned, or literary in modern English.
- 3
Surprise phrase
Mamma mia, that was a close call!
- Phrasemamma mia
an informal expression of surprise, from Italian
See also
Forms and spellings
3 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- mammanoun
Forms
- mammaspluralnoun
- mammaepluralnoun