-ma-

infix

Adds ironic pseudo-sophistication to an existing word.

“alcohol + -ma- → alcamahol”

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Meanings

-ma-1

infix
  1. humorousAdds ironic pseudo-sophistication to an existing word.

    alcohol + -ma- → alcamahol

    2 more examples

    education + -ma- → edumacation

    saxophone + -ma- → saxomaphone

-ma-2

interfix
  1. medicinea shortened allomorph of the monoclonal antibody affix -mar-, used before the affixes -xi- and -zu- for ease of pronunciation

Origin

Probably modeled on existing playful terms where -ma- is the third syllable like thingamabob, thingamajig, rigamarole, razzamatazz, whatchamacallit.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

-ma-. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-ma-

MLA

“-ma-.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-ma-. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “-ma-,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-ma-.

Source: -ma- on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.