mum
mum Lexical Profile
mum Game Scores & Validity
• noun
British One's mother (used as an informal term of address or reference chiefly in British, Australian, and New Zealand English).
"I called my mum this morning to wish her a happy birthday."
North American An informal shortening of chrysanthemum, an ornamental flowering plant of the genus Chrysanthemum in the family Asteraceae, widely cultivated in autumn for its showy, brightly colored flower heads with dense layers of ray florets.
"She planted pots of yellow and burgundy mums along the front porch for autumn."
A strong, dark wheat beer infused with aromatic herbs, originally brewed in Braunschweig, Germany.
"Historical accounts from the seventeenth century frequently mention barrels of imported mum."
• adjective
Silent; not revealing secret or confidential information (used predicatively, especially in the phrase 'keep mum').
"The company executives remained mum about the upcoming merger until the contract was signed."
• interjection
Used as a command or reminder to keep quiet and say nothing, especially in the proverbial expression 'mum's the word'.
"Remember, it is a surprise party for her birthday, so mum's the word!"
• verb
To act or perform in a traditional folk play, pantomime, or masquerade, especially while wearing a disguise during festive seasons.
"Villagers would mum from door to door on Christmas Eve, performing short rhyming plays."
Word Nuance & Usage
As a term for 'mother', 'mum' is the standard informal spelling in British, Australian, and New Zealand English, corresponding to the North American 'mom'. As an adjective meaning 'silent', it is used almost exclusively in the predicate position, especially in idioms like 'keep mum' or 'mum's the word'.
• Rhymes for mum
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The sense meaning 'silent' dates to Middle English and is of imitative origin, representing the sound made with closed lips. The sense meaning 'mother' emerged in the 19th century as a colloquial shortening of 'mamma', while the floral sense is a 20th-century clipping of 'chrysanthemum'.