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.
Below—just in time for Mother's Day—read just a sampling of the heartfelt things these guys have said about their mama. Christopher Rosa, Glamour, 10 May 2025 An update shared on Thursday by the poster shows the proud cat mama feeding her little kittens, each one of them featuring one of the colors found in their mom's fur, ranging from orange, to gray, and black. Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 May 2025 My own mango journey began with my mama, who friends and family called Sistah Sonia. Dinkinish O’Connor, Saveur, 8 May 2025 The brand that calls you mama is both a cheerleader and a scold. Amanda Hess, Vogue, 8 May 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 19 May. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!