Fannie Mae

American  

Or Fanny Mae

noun

1. Federal National Mortgage Association.

2. any of the publicly traded securities collateralized by a pool of mortgages backed by the Federal National Mortgage Association.

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Fannie Mae British  

/ ˈfænɪ meɪ /

noun

1. (in the US)an informal name for the Federal National Mortgage Association, a private company that buys and sells mortgage debt

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Etymology

Origin of Fannie Mae

Altered from FNMA, the association's initials

Compare meaning

How does fannie-mae compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Ginnie Mae vs. Fannie Mae

Example Sentences

Department of Veterans Affairs and both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two federally sponsored companies, guarantee privately issued mortgages as a way to boost more plentiful and cheaper lending for American homebuyers.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

Plus, mortgage-finance giant Fannie Mae to accept crypto-backed mortgages.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac stocks surged 51% and 47% respectively on Monday after investor Bill Ackman’s comments.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

In other home-buying news, Fannie Mae will soon accept so-called crypto-backed mortgages for the first time.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

It was the first time my Aunt Fannie Mae looked frightened.

From "Betty Before X" by Ilyasah Shabazz and Renée Watson