mama
gb/mˈɑmə/ us/mˈɑmə/
A1
English
~ 1300
Senses
0 senses
Noun
informal
A1
entity
1
One's mother
A word children or adults use to talk about their mother.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s mama
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'mama' with the more formal 'mother' in contexts where informality is not appropriate, such as official writing.
Synonyms
mom (Most common informal American term for mother.)
|
mum (Common informal British term for mother.)
Antonyms
father (Refers to the male parent, opposite in parental role.)
Collocations
my mama
|baby's mama
|go to mama
Themes
family
|daily life
|relationships
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I called my mama to tell her the news.
- Her mama makes the best apple pie.
- The little girl ran to her mama for comfort.
- Mama told me to clean my room.
- He introduced his mama to his friends.
Learner examples
- I love my mama.
- My mama is at home.
- This is my mama.
- Mama is cooking dinner.
- I see my mama every day.
Noun
informal
A2
entity
2
A woman with a child
A friendly word for a woman who has a child.
Usage pattern:
[a/an] mama
Synonyms
mommy (Childlike or affectionate form, often used by young children.)
Collocations
new mama
|single mama
|proud mama
Themes
family
|social
|relationships
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She's a proud mama of three.
- The new mama was tired but happy.
- Many mamas gathered at the school event.
Learner examples
- She is a new mama.
- That mama has two kids.
- The mama is happy.
Grammar
Dictionary form
mama
IPA
GB/mˈɑmə/
US/mˈɑmə/
Syllables & stress
mama (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (mama)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: mama
- Plural: mamas
Word family
Expressions
baby mama
1/bˈeɪbi mˈɑmə/
fixed phrase
slang
Unmarried mother of man's child
A slang term for the mother of a man's child, when they are not married or living together.
Examples
- His baby mama lives in another city.
- They get along well even though she's his baby mama.
mama's boy
1/mˈɑməz bˈɔɪ/
idiom
informal
Man overly attached to mother
A man who depends too much on his mother or is very close to her in a childish way.
Examples
- He's such a mama's boy—he calls her every day for advice.
- She broke up with him because she thought he was a mama's boy.