mama

intj

Etymology: The origin of the noun is uncertain; it is probably a reduplication of ma, thought to be a sound made by babies when breastfeeding. The word is possibly influenced by Middle French maman (“mother”) (modern French maman), mamme (both probably from Latin mamma (“breast; nurse; (childish) mother, mama; grandmother”), probably cognate with Ancient Greek μᾰ́μμη (mắmmē, “breast; (childish) mother, mama; (Koine) grandmother”), both possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *meh₂- (“to nurse; mama, mother”)), but this is also uncertain as all the words could have developed independently as onomatopoeias. Etymology 1, noun sense 3 (“(Caribbean) used as a term of address for a woman”) is possibly partly from a West African language; compare Akan mmá, mmaa (“woman”). The interjection and verb are derived from the noun.

1. Often preceded by oh: used to express approval, joy, surprise, etc.

   “He do n't do a thing in the world except travel around with some more o' them handy boys and lay for jack-pots. And the talk he gives you! Mamma! He 's better 'n any o' them shell-workers that used to graft out at the gover'ment pier.”

   “He scribbled a name and address on the back of his business card and handed it to Betty. "Only one show, kid, but it draws real good. Sunday vaudeville is the best showcase in town." Betty could scarcely breathe. It was like seven spotlights converging deep inside her into a searing hot nucleus. The Winter Garden! Oh, Mama!”

name

1. a Bantoid language spoken in Nigeria

noun

Etymology: Borrowed from Xhosa umama and Zulu umama, sometimes only distinguishable from English mama (see etymology 1) by the context and pronunciation.

1. Synonym of mother (“a female parent”).
2. Synonym of mother (“a female parent”).

   “We had gone to his house on our way to school, as usual, when we learnt of his arrest. His mother said they'd been worken up about three a.m. by the police who took him away. […] 'Did they say when he'll be back, Mama?' I asked. 'No, my child,' his mother said.”

3. A middle-aged black woman.

   “And the old mealie mamas who used to go past in the street with big bulging sacks on their heads, calling "Meeeeealies!"”

4. A middle-aged black woman.

   “She came over now, sweating and smiling amiably, to wipe the table with a filthy cloth. 'How are you today, Mr Doctor?' […] 'I'm good, Mama. How about you?' […] When she'd gone he asked, 'Why do you call her Mama?' […] 'I don't know. It's a term of affection or something. Respect. I don't know.'”

   “She [Miriam Makeba] was 76 when she died, with Nelson Mandela (who had eventually persuaded Makeba, a long-time campaigner for his freedom, to return to post-apartheid South Africa) leading the tributes to an artist now revered as ‘Mama Africa’.”

verb

Etymology: The origin of the noun is uncertain; it is probably a reduplication of ma, thought to be a sound made by babies when breastfeeding. The word is possibly influenced by Middle French maman (“mother”) (modern French maman), mamme (both probably from Latin mamma (“breast; nurse; (childish) mother, mama; grandmother”), probably cognate with Ancient Greek μᾰ́μμη (mắmmē, “breast; (childish) mother, mama; (Koine) grandmother”), both possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *meh₂- (“to nurse; mama, mother”)), but this is also uncertain as all the words could have developed independently as onomatopoeias. Etymology 1, noun sense 3 (“(Caribbean) used as a term of address for a woman”) is possibly partly from a West African language; compare Akan mmá, mmaa (“woman”). The interjection and verb are derived from the noun.

1. Synonym of mother (“to treat (someone) as a mother would be expected to treat her child; to nurture”).

   “What shall be the effeminating effect upon the rising generation if the brave men of today are to be mammaed by a crew of timid Supervisors?”

   “Had Maude deduced that if Cliffie could smoke she was grown and on her own, that she no longer needed mamaing?”

2. To call (someone) "mama" (noun sense).

   “Priſc[illa] vvill Mamma-up Mrs. Sinclair, and vvill undertake to court her guardian to let her paſs a delightful vveek vvith her.”

3. To call out "mama".

   “[W]hen the next Sunday two and the third Sunday four babies cooed and mammaed and howled in chorus it was more than he could stand.”

   “They passed a newspaper back and forth among themselves. The item that each solid and blunt forefinger pointed out was an advertisement headed "One Hundred Dollars Reward." To earn it one must return the rag-doll lost, strayed, or stolen from the Millionaire's mansion. It seemed that grief still ravaged, unchecked, in the bosom of the too faithful Child. […] She wailed for her Betsy in the faces of walking, talking, mama-ing, and eye-closing French Mabelles and Violettes. The advertisement was a last resort.”