mummy

1 of 2

noun

mum·​my ˈmə-mē 

plural mummies

1

a

: a body embalmed or treated for burial with preservatives in the manner of the ancient Egyptians

b

: a body unusually well preserved

2

: one resembling a mummy

mummy

2 of 2

chiefly British spelling of mommy

Examples of mummy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

This is largely thanks to the materials applied to the mummies, which included scented waxes, coniferous resins and oils made from pine, cedar, and juniper, as well as gum resins such as frankincense and myrrh. —Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 14 Feb. 2025

The new study, led by scientists at University College London (UCL) and the University of Ljubljana, involved analyzing samples of air surrounding nine mummies using gas chromatographs and mass spectrometers. —Michael Irving, New Atlas, 13 Feb. 2025

While such body art works can provide insights into ancient cultures, tattoos are known to fade and bleed over time—a process compounded in mummies by the decay of the body. —John Mac Ghlionn, Newsweek, 14 Jan. 2025

Think outside the box, or rather, the sarcophagus, and take your crush to the closest museum to sniff the mummies. —Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 14 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English mummie powdered parts of a mummified body used as a drug, from Anglo-French mumie, from Medieval Latin mumia mummy, powdered mummy, from Arabic mūmiya bitumen, mummy, from Persian mūm wax

First Known Use

Noun

1615, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for mummy

• chummy
• crummy
• dummy
• gummy
• ramie
• rummy
• tummy
• yummy

Kids Definition

mummy

noun

mum·​my

ˈməm-ē

plural mummies

1

: a body prepared for burial in the manner of the ancient Egyptians

2

: an unusually well-preserved body