Dictionary

amah en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈɑː.mɑ/ (Singapore-English)
• /ˈɑː.mə/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Portuguese ama (“female nurse”), from Medieval Latin amma (“wet nurse, amma”), perhaps an alteration of Latin mamma, of imitative origin, or from Ancient Greek.

Meanings

1. (India) A woman employed to look after children; (formerly) a wet nurse.
2. (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore) A female domestic helper; a maid.
   • Then one day he disappeared and when Luke called apprehensively at his apartment the old amah told him that ‘Whisky Papa runrun London fastee.’ 1977, John Le Carré, The Honourable Schoolboy, Folio Society, published 2010, page 20:

Forms

Relateds

amma