Dictionary

ma en · NOUN · etymology 1

Meanings

1. (abbreviation, alt-of, plural-normally) Abbreviation of milli-arcsecond.
   alt of milli-arcsecond

Forms

ma en · NOUN · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• /mɑː/
• (US) audio

Etymology

The sound, which parents interpret as a reference to themselves, is very commonly made by infants. For more on the linguistic process whereby infants' monosyllables are tied to ancient word roots for parents, see mama, papa, mātēr, and patēr.

Meanings

1. (colloquial, qualifier:and in direct address) mother, mama
   • Once the silky gent who ran a barge called the Knuckle Sandwich tried to persuade Borglum's ma and da to sell him their little dwarfish boy for twelve gold coins. 2011, Philip Reeve, Scrivener's Moon, Scholastic, →ISBN, page 48:
2. (colloquial) The landlady of a theater.
   • […] that dear little man writing in the guestbook of the "Ma" or theatrical landlady […] 1949, Shaw Desmond, The Edwardian Story, page 322:

Forms

Coordinates

pa

Deriveds

ma-in-law · stepma

Relateds

pa

Synonyms

mother (terms synonymous with "ma") · mamma (terms synonymous with "ma") · mummy (terms synonymous with "ma") · mater (terms synonymous with "ma") · mum (terms synonymous with "ma") · mom (terms synonymous with "ma") · mama (terms synonymous with "ma") · maw (terms synonymous with "ma") · mommy (terms synonymous with "ma")

Translations (17)

fi äiskä (colloquial form of mother) · ta மா (colloquial form of mother) · fi äiti (colloquial form of mother) · pt mamã (colloquial form of mother) · hi मा (colloquial form of mother) · pl mamuś (colloquial form of mother) · ka დე (colloquial form of mother) · mk мама (colloquial form of mother) · it mamma (colloquial form of mother) · pt mamãe (colloquial form of mother) · ru ма́ма (colloquial form of mother) · es mamá (colloquial form of mother) · fr maman (colloquial form of mother) · fa مامان (colloquial form of mother) · uk ма́ма (colloquial form of mother) · de Mamma (colloquial form of mother) · de Mutter (colloquial form of mother)

ma en · NOUN · etymology 3

Etymology

Abbreviation.

Meanings

1. May.

ma en · DET · etymology 4

Etymology

From my.

Meanings

1. (alt-of, alternative, dialectal, informal) Alternative spelling of my.
   alt of my

ma en · PART · etymology 5

Etymology

From Cantonese 嘛 (maa³, “of course!”).

Meanings

1. (Manglish, Singlish, alt-of, alternative) Alternative form of mah.
   alt of mah

ma en · PART · etymology 6

Etymology

From Mandarin 嗎／吗 (ma).

Meanings

1. (alt-of, alternative) Alternative spelling of mah.
   alt of mah

ma en · NOUN · etymology 7

Etymology

Borrowed from Japanese 間.

Meanings

1. (uncountable) Negative space in Japanese art.