Dictionary

mammy en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree English mam Proto-Germanic *-j-, *-ij- Proto-West Germanic *-i, *-ī Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English mamma ▲ English -y English mammy From mam + -y, or from mamma + -y.

Meanings

1. (childish) mamma; mother
2. (US, derogatory, historical, often) In the southern United States, a black nanny employed to look after white children; or in the antebellum South, a female slave who was close to the household and looked after the children.
   • That's what you for—to help white folks keep niggers down. That's why he sent you to me. They be calling you mammy in a few years. You be running the whole house when the old man dies. 1979, Octavia Butler, Kindred

Forms

Deriveds

Mammygate · grandmammy

Relateds

mammy market (probably etymologically unrelated terms) · mammy wagon (probably etymologically unrelated terms)

Translations (11)

he אמא (child's name for mother) · de Mami (child's name for mother) · wa mame (child's name for mother) · wa man (child's name for mother) · mk мама (child's name for mother) · wa moman (child's name for mother) · fr maman (child's name for mother) · de Mama. (child's name for mother) · es mamá (child's name for mother) · es mami. (child's name for mother) · pt mamãe (child's name for mother)