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, mumming 

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.

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 /

adjective

1. keeping information to oneself; silent

noun

1. silence or secrecy is to be observed

mum

²

/ mʌm /

noun

1. an informal word for mother 1

mum

³

/ mʌm /

verb

1. (intr) to act in a mummer's play

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

C14: suggestive of closed lips

Origin of mum²

C19: a child's word

Origin of mum³

C16: verbal use of _mum ²

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

New mums often join the programme after it's suggested by their midwife, GP or local authority or find it through social media or word-of-mouth.

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"We had them for five months, then I found out it wasn't my mum, it was a total stranger," said Brian.

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"It could be your mum, it could be your dad, it could be your sister or it could be a friend, neighbour, stranger," explains Cameron, who now lives with his aunt.

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She's found herself in "identity limbo" between her old friends and the new group of mums she's met through antenatal classes.

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"I am a huge advocate for not stigmatising or stereotyping birth mums. My biological mother was not given the support she needed to have a clean pregnancy."

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Related Words

• bashful 

When To Use

What does mum mean?

Mum is an adjective that means keeping quiet. It can also be used by itself to mean Be quiet!This sense of mum is especially used in the expressions keep mum and mum’s the word. In the U.K. and other places, mum is used as a word for mom or madam. It’s also commonly used as a short way of saying chrysanthemum, a type of flower.Example: Mum’s keeping mum—I can’t get a word out of her!