mum

¹

[ muhm ]

adjective

1. silent; not saying a word:

   to keep mum.

interjection

1. (used to demand immediate silence.)

mum

²

or mumm

[ muhm ]

verb (used without object)

, mummed, mum·ming.

1. to say “mum”; call for silence.
2. to act as a mummer.

mum

³

[ muhm ]

noun

1. chrysanthemum.

mum

⁴

[ muhm ]

noun

, Chiefly British.

1. mom ( def 1 ).

mum

⁵

[ muhm ]

noun

1. a strong beer or ale, first made in Brunswick, Germany.

mum

⁶

[ muhm ]

noun

, Chiefly British.

1. madam.

mum

¹

/ mʌm /

noun

1. an informal word for mother 1

mum

²

/ mʌm /

verb

1. intr to act in a mummer's play

mum

³

/ mʌm /

adjective

1. keeping information to oneself; silent

noun

1. mum's the word
   silence or secrecy is to be observed

mum

⁴

/ mʌm /

noun

1. obsolete.
   a type of beer made from cereals, beans, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of mum¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English momme; imitative

Origin of mum²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English mommen, verb use of mum ¹; compare Middle Dutch mommen ”to act the mummer's part”

Origin of mum³

First recorded in 1890–95; shortened form

Origin of mum⁴

First recorded in 1815–25; nursery word; mom

Origin of mum⁵

First recorded in 1630–40; from German Mumme, said to have been named after Christian Mumme, the brewer who made it

Origin of mum⁶

Variant of ma'am

Word History and Origins

Origin of mum¹

C19: a child's word

Origin of mum²

C16: verbal use of mum ²

Origin of mum³

C14: suggestive of closed lips

Origin of mum⁴

C17: from German Mumme, perhaps from the name of its original brewer

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. mum's the word, do not reveal what you know (about something); keep silent:

   Mum's the word, or the surprise party won't be a surprise.

Example Sentences

A mum with kids requiring refrigerated medicines for cancer rang up with her voice cracking because she could not afford her £5 prepayment top-up and asked to be put onto a credit direct debit.

From BBC

“To know I’m going to be a mum is a magical experience and I want others to have that feeling.”

From BBC

"My mum came back with a two-man canoe despite not living near any suitable body of water," one Reddit user posted on a thread about things people had found.

From BBC

"You mimic your mum who used it," she said.

From BBC

My wife Claire and my mum Jennifer also described the impact that such a devastating diagnosis can have on your family.

From BBC

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