momma

UK: ˈmɒmə | US: ˈmɑːmə

Definition

  1. n. informal term for "mother," often used affectionately or by children.

Structure
mom <mother>a <diminutive or affectionate suffix>
Etymology

"Momma" is a colloquial variant of "mama," which originates from infantile reduplication—a common linguistic pattern where babies naturally produce simple, repetitive sounds like "ma" or "mama" to refer to their mothers. This universal phenomenon appears across languages (e.g., "mama" in Chinese, "maman" in French). The suffix "-a" adds an affectionate or diminutive tone, reinforcing its informal and endearing usage.

Examples

  1. "Momma, can I have some cookies?"

  2. She hugged her momma tightly after school.

  3. "Everything will be okay, momma," he whispered.

  4. The song’s lyrics celebrated the singer’s hardworking momma.

  5. Even as an adult, he still called his mother "momma."