mammy
mammy Lexical Profile
mammy Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Irish An affectionate or informal term for one's mother, widely used by children and adults in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and parts of northern England.
"The little boy ran across the schoolyard to give his mammy a big hug."
American A historical and offensive term for a Black woman employed or enslaved to nurse and care for white children in the American South, or a stereotypical caricature based on this role.
"The film historian analyzed how early twentieth-century cinema perpetuated the harmful mammy stereotype."
Word Nuance & Usage
In Irish, Scottish, and Northern English dialects, 'mammy' is an everyday, affectionate term for one's mother. In American English, however, it carries offensive racial connotations due to its historical association with enslaved Black domestic caretakers and subsequent racial caricatures.
• Rhymes for mammy
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
First recorded in the early 16th century as a diminutive of 'mam' or 'mama', derived from the natural bilabial sounds made by infants.