[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/momma/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [M](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/m/) / momma

# momma

noun (momma, mommas)

«momma» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (informal, mainly US) Mom; a child's word for their mother. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/momma/#m1)
2. (informal, mainly US) Any mother, including an animal mother, as in "the momma bear". [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/momma/#m2)
3. (slang, US) Used in jokes beginning "Yo momma…", which tease someone about their mother. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/momma/#m3)

### In the lessons

A warm, homely word heard in American stories, songs and films; it tells the reader the speaker is close to their mother or is from the southern USA. In science and nature talk, "momma bird" or "momma cat" simply means the mother animal. Phrases: "momma bear", "momma's boy" (a boy who relies on his mother a lot), "Yo momma" jokes (often unkind).

### Examples

- Momma, can I have a snack? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/momma/#x1)
- My momma picks me up from school on Fridays. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/momma/#x2)
- The momma bird brought worms back to the nest. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/momma/#x3)
- Don't go near the cubs, the momma bear will be close by. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/momma/#x4)
- She sang the song her momma used to sing. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/momma/#x5)
- He's a real momma's boy, he phones her every day. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/momma/#x6)
- "Momma said there'd be days like this," Grandpa laughed. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/momma/#x7)

### Note

Informal; in writing for school use "mother" or "Mom" (US) / "Mum" (UK). Spellings vary: momma, mama, mamma; in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand people say "mum" or "mam". Capital M when used as a name: "Thanks, Momma." "Yo momma" jokes can be hurtful.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «momma» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/momma/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«momma» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/momma.html) on Mova free.