mamma
n. countablen. a part of the body in female mammals that produces milk for their babies.
n. the milk-secreting organ of female mammals, typically consisting of one or more mammary glands and a nipple or teat.
The mamma provides essential nutrients to the newborn offspring.
In veterinary medicine, the health of the mamma is critical for the successful weaning of young livestock.
The evolutionary development of the mamma allowed early mammals to provide consistent nutrition to their young regardless of seasonal food availability.
Learned borrowing from Latin mamma.
Alternative spelling of mama; see further etymology there.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
The plural form is 'mammae'. In modern English, this term is almost exclusively restricted to technical, biological, or anatomical contexts.
The mamma is hungryThe mother is hungryIn anatomical contexts, 'mamma' refers to the breast or udder; learners may confuse it with the informal word for mother, 'mama'.
- Nounmamma
- Nounmammal
Last updated May 6, 2026