mum
mum [mum mums mummed mumming] noun, adjective BrE [mʌm] NAmE [mʌm]
noun (BrE) (NAmE mom) (informal)
a mother
• My mum says I can't go.
• Happy Birthday, Mum.
•A lot of mums and dads have the same worries.
Word Origin:
n. mid 17th cent. ↑mummy ‘mother’ adj. late Middle English
Thesaurus:
mum (BrE) (AmE mom)noun C (informal, especially spoken)
•My mum says I can come to the party.
mother • • stepmother • • parent • • guardian • |BrE, informal, especially spoken mummy • |AmE, informal, especially spoken mommy • |especially AmE, informal folks •
a good/bad mum/mom/mother/parent
sb's new mum/mom/mother/stepmother/parent
become a/sb's mum/mom/mother/stepmother/parent/guardian
Mum or mother? In spoken English mum/mom is much more frequent. It can sound formal to say my mother.
Example Bank:
•The cat acted as a surrogate mum to the chicks.
•The group is aimed at new mums with young babies.
•My mum says I can't go.
Idioms: ↑keep mum ▪ ↑mum's the word!
adjective
Word Origin:
n. mid 17th cent. ↑mummy ‘mother’ adj. late Middle English
See also: ↑mom
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