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ma

ma

735 7.9
A friendly informal name people use for their mother
  • noun
  • /mɑ/
  • Informal
translation icon : mamá
  • You don't want me around, Ma?
  • ma and pa

I said no, I won't, Ma, I'm going to be a comedian.

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Examples

Synonyms

mom
vsma
  • Informal
1.0

A woman who has a child and cares for them

is more familiar and often more playful than this general informal term
mama
vsma
  • Baby Talk
1.0

A child's word for their mother

is an informal affectionate address used by people of different ages
mommy
vsma
  • Baby Talk
1.0

A child's word for mom

is informal and affectionate but not only a child's everyday name
mum
vsma
  • UK
223 1.9

A woman who gave you birth or cared for you

is a casual affectionate term that is not regionally marked
momma
vsma
  • Baby Talk
202 7.7

A child's informal name for their mother

is the informal family term but may be used by older speakers too
mummy
vsma
  • Baby Talk
98 5.6

A child's word for their mother

is less regionally specific and used across different English varieties
mamma
vsma
  • Baby Talk
32 7.5

A woman who cares for a child and helps them grow

is similar but not limited to childish speech or baby talk
ama
vsma
24 9.8

A woman who is a mother or cares for children

is an English informal address rather than a multilingual cultural term
mammy
vsma
  • UK
19 9.1

An informal name for a mother used in some English-speaking areas

is the general affectionate term not tied to a specific dialect
mah
vsma
  • Slang
12 9.9

An informal word people use for mother

is an affectionate familiar term but less slangy in tone
mam
vsma
  • UK
5 8.2

A polite, affectionate word for mother used in parts of the UK and Ireland

is more widely used and less regionally specific than this form
mami
vsma
  • Informal
5 8.8

A warm, informal word for a mother in Spanish-speaking families

is the English informal family name rather than a Spanish-derived form
mamacita
vsma
  • Baby Talk
2 9.5

A child's loving word for mother

is an English informal familiar term not derived from Spanish usage
mumma
vsma
  • Baby Talk
2 9.0

A word children use for their mother

is the same casual affection but not tied to that playful tone
mumsy
vsma
  • Baby Talk
2 7.9

A loving name a child uses for their mother

is a current casual form without the playful or old-fashioned shade
amma
vsma
  • Indian
9.9

Respectful or loving word for mother used in South Asian families

is informal affection without the specific cultural respect marker
ammi
vsma
  • Indian
9.9

A warm informal name used for a mother in Urdu and Hindi

is general familiar address not tied to South Asian languages
mae
vsma
  • Baby Talk
9.9

A loving word for mother used in Wales

is the common informal affectionate English address without regional borrowing

Compounds

ma-in-law
  • Informal
8.9

The mother of your husband or wife

How Familiar

mama
  • Baby Talk
1.0
ma
  • Informal
735 7.9
mom
  • Informal
1.0
mum
  • UK
223 1.9

Surface Forms

ma singular
mas plural

Etymology

Ma comes from the simple baby sound 'ma' and from the word mama, which children in many languages use for 'mother'. So, ma is a warm, informal way to say 'mother'.