# mamma

/ˈmɑmə/ (US) · /mˈæmɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/mamma
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. mother

noun · CEFR A1 · Informal

a child's word for their mother.

For teachers: an informal or nursery term for a mother, often used by children.

- The little boy ran to his mamma when he fell down.
- In many Mediterranean cultures, the mamma remains the central figure of the household well into her children's adulthood.

Teaching tip: This spelling with a double 'm' is common in British English and several European languages, while 'mama' is more frequent in American English.

### 2. mammary organ

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

the part of a female mammal's body that produces milk.

For teachers: the milk-secreting organ of female mammals, including the mammary gland and nipple.

- The vet checked the dog's mamma to ensure the puppies were feeding well.
- The surgical procedure involved the removal of a small cyst from the left mamma.

Teaching tip: In everyday English, people use 'breast' for humans or 'udder' for farm animals; 'mamma' is strictly for medical or biological contexts.

### 3. cloud formation

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a cloud that looks like a round bump on the bottom of a larger cloud.

For teachers: an accessory cloud formation appearing as a series of rounded protuberances on the underside of a cloud.

- We saw strange mamma clouds hanging under the dark storm front.
- The presence of mamma on the underside of the anvil cloud often indicates severe atmospheric turbulence.

Teaching tip: This is a highly specialized term in meteorology, more commonly referred to by the plural 'mammatus'.

## Examples

- 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.