Mama
/ˈmɑː.mə/noun
A child’s term for mother, used in many languages.
Did you know?Across the world, forms like mama and mama-like words often arise naturally from infant babble, which is why this sound pattern appears in unrelated languages with no single “mystic” origin.
Etymological Timeline
Prehistory
Proto-language
mama
“A nursery sound used by infants for a parent or caregiver”
Ancient Latin
Latin
mamma
“Mother; also the breast or teat”
Old English
English
mōdor
“Mother”
Middle English
English
mome
“Mother; nurse; familiar form of address”
Modern English
English
mama
“Mother; an affectionate word for mother”