mamma

plural mammae · plural mammas

1. plural mammaeanatomyThe milk-secreting organ of female humans and other mammals which includes the mammary gland and the nipple or teat; a breast; an udder.

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   Either sex under special stimulations is capable of manifesting powers ordinarily shown only by the other […] Thus, to take an extreme case, the mammæ of men will, under special excitation, yield milk: there are various cases of gynecomasty on record, and in famines infants whose mothers have died have been thus saved.

   1880, Herbert Spencer, The Study of Sociology, page 434

2. climatologyAn accessory cloud like a mammary in appearance, which can form on the underside of most cloud genera.

plural mammas

1. alternativeAlternative spelling of mama.

   This begets Scorn, hovv can one stand in avve, / Of a vain Tavvdry, Amorous Mamma.

   1691, Tho[mas] Shadwell, “Epilogue”, in The Scowrers. A Comedy, […], London: […] James Knapton, […], →OCLC

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   The Ideas of the Nurſe, and the Mother, are vvell framed in their Minds; and, like Pictures of them there, repreſent only thoſe Individuals. The Names they firſt give to them, are confined to theſe Individuals; and the names of Nurſe, and Mamma, the Child uſes, determine themſelves to thoſe Perſons.

   1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], “Of General Terms”, in An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Eliz[abeth] Holt, for Thomas Basset, […], →OCLC, book III, § 7, page 191

   I can't but say that his mamma was right, / If such an education was the true one.

   1819 July 15, [Lord Byron], Don Juan, London: […] Thomas Davison, […], →OCLC, canto I, stanza XLVIII, page 27

   The exhibition of the New Society of Water-Colour Painters has grown to be quite as handsome and agreeable as that of its mamma, the old Society in Pall Mall East.

   1844 June, Michael Angelo Titmarsh [pseudonym; William Makepeace Thackeray], “[Critical Reviews of Books and Pictures.] May Gambols; or, Titmarsh in the Picture Galleries.”, in Miscellaneous Essays, Sketches and Reviews (The Works of William Makepeace Thackeray; XXV), London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], published 1885, →OCLC, page 256

   That they should spend their Christmas at Merle Park was an acknowledged thing;—to mamma Tringle an acknowledged benefit, because she liked to have her daughter with her; to papa Tringle an acknowledged evil, because he could not endure to be made to give more than he intended to give.

   1878 April 25 – September 24 (date written), Anthony Trollope, “Lady Albury’s Letter”, in Ayala’s Angel […], volume II, London: Chapman and Hall […], published 1881, →OCLC, page 59

   Charles […] respected his mother, and he loved his wife infinitely; he considered the judgment of the one infallible, and yet he thought the conduct of the other irreproachable. When Madame Bovary had gone, he tried timidly and in the same terms to hazard one or two of the more anodyne observations he had heard from his mamma. Emma proved to him with a word that he was mistaken, and sent him off to his patients.

   1886, Gustave Flaubert, chapter VII, in Eleanor Marx-Aveling, transl., Madame Bovary: Provincial Manners […], London: Vizetelly & Co., […], →OCLC, part I, page 47

1. alternativeAlternative spelling of mama.

   He do n't do a thing in the world except travel around with some more o' them handy boys and lay for jack-pots. And the talk he gives you! Mamma! He 's better 'n any o' them shell-workers that used to graft out at the gover'ment pier.

   1896, George Ade, chapter XII, in Artie: A Story of the Streets and Town, 2nd edition, Chicago, Ill.: Herbert S. Stone & Co., published 10 October 1896, →OCLC, page 109

present singular third person mammas · participle present mammaing · participle past mammaed · past mammaed

1. alternativetransitiveuncommonAlternative spelling of mama.

   I've been pretty out of the loop—immersed in my small world of day-to-day living, working and baby-mammaing.

   2007 September, Chris(tine) [pseudonym], “Columns”, in Maximum Rocknroll, number 292, San Francisco, Calif.: Maximum Rocknroll, →ISSN, →OCLC, column 3

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   Priſc[illa] vvill Mamma-up Mrs. Sinclair, and vvill undertake to court her guardian to let her paſs a delightful vveek vvith her.

   1749 June 26 (Gregorian calendar), [Samuel Richardson], “Letter LXIV. Miss Clarissa Harlowe, to Miss Howe.”, in Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], 2nd edition, volume III, London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; [a]nd sold by John Osborn, […], →OCLC, page 320

   What shall be the effeminating effect upon the rising generation if the brave men of today are to be mammaed by a crew of timid Supervisors?

   1905 May 7, “The Lancer”, in Los Angeles Sunday Times, volume 47, number 155, Los Angeles, Calif.: The Times-Mirror Company, →OCLC, part II, page 5, column 2

   [W]hen the next Sunday two and the third Sunday four babies cooed and mammaed and howled in chorus it was more than he could stand.

   1905 December 6, “Humor: Babies and the parson: How his scheme for keeping them quiet was spoiled”, in The Evening Examiner, volume XXXIX, number 132, Peterborough, Ont.: [The Peterborough Examiner], →ISSN, →OCLC, page 9, column 4