MUM

mum, silent

(adjective) failing to speak or communicate etc when expected to; “the witness remained silent”

mum

(noun) secrecy; “mum’s the word”

ma, mama, mamma, mom, momma, mommy, mammy, mum, mummy

(noun) informal terms for a mother

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology 1

Noun

mum (plural mums)

(UK, Australia, New England, Canada, informal) Mother.

(dated, colloquial) ma'am; a term of respect for an older woman.

Usage notes

Mum is only capitalized when used as a proper noun

I don't think Mum will like you.

I don't think my mum will like you.

• In New England, the word may still be spelt "mom", but it will have the pronunciation of "mum."

Synonyms

• See also mother

Etymology 2

Noun

mum (plural mums)

A chrysanthemum.

Etymology 3

Adjective

mum (not comparable)

(colloquial) Silent.

(colloquial) Secret.

Interjection

mum!

stop speaking!, stop talking!, hush!

Verb

mum (third-person singular simple present mums, present participle mumming, simple past and past participle mummed)

To act in a pantomime or dumb show.

Noun

mum (uncountable)

(obsolete) silence

Etymology 4

Noun

mum (uncountable)

A sort of strong beer, originally made in Brunswick, Germany.

Anagrams

• MMU, umm

Proper noun

Mum

One's mother

Anagrams

• MMU, umm

Source: Wiktionary


Mum, a. Etym: [Of imitative origin. Cf. Mumble.]

Definition: Silent; not speaking. Thackeray. The citizens are mum, and speak not a word. Shak.

Mum, interj.

Definition: Be silent! Hush! Mum, then, and no more. Shak.

Mum, n.

Definition: Silence. [R.] Hudibras.

Mum, n. Etym: [G. mummere, fr. Christian Mumme, who first brewed it in 1492.]

Definition: A sort of strong beer, originally made in Brunswick, Germany. Addison. The clamorous crowd is hushed with mugs of mum. Pope.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

24 March 2025

STACCATO

(adjective) (music) marked by or composed of disconnected parts or sounds; cut short crisply; “staccato applause”; “a staccato command”; “staccato notes”


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