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Glite Dictionary
true Mackem

true Mackem

9.9
A person from Sunderland who strongly supports the local football team
  • noun
  • /truː ˈmækəm/
  • UK
translation icon : auténtico Mackem
  • As a true Mackem, she knows all the chants by heart and travels to every away game.

Examples

  • He considers himself a true Mackem, never missing a home match at the Stadium of Light.

  • Only a true Mackem would queue for hours to buy the latest Sunderland kit.

  • He is a true Mackem who never misses a Sunderland match.

  • Are you a true Mackem or just a casual fan?

  • As a true Mackem, she knows all the chants by heart and travels to every away game.

  • He considers himself a true Mackem, never missing a home match at the Stadium of Light.

  • Only a true Mackem would queue for hours to buy the latest Sunderland kit.

Synonyms

Mackem through and through
vstrue Mackem
  • UK
9.9

A person from Sunderland who strongly shows local pride and ways

is about being an authentic Sunderland fan especially supporting the local football team
Mackem
vstrue Mackem
  • UK
9.9

A person from Sunderland in northeast England

is a more specific term for an authentic Sunderland supporter

How Mackem

true Mackem
  • UK
9.9
Mackem
  • UK
9.9

Surface Forms

true Mackem singular
true Mackems plural

Morphology

true + Mackem

The meaning 'a genuine person from Sunderland' is directly and compositionally derived from 'true' (genuine/loyal) modifying 'Mackem' (a person from Sunderland). The adjective + demonym pattern is a straightforward, cross-linguistically common construction, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily understand the MWE.

Etymology

True Mackem comes from a nickname for people from Sunderland. One popular story says that in old shipyards workers would say make 'em to mean 'make them' about the ships they built, and that sound turned into 'Mackem', so today true Mackem means 'a real person from Sunderland' and a proud local fan.