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

The interest rate on both loans would range from comparable to typical Fannie Mae mortgages to 1.5 percentage points higher.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

The mortgage-finance giant Fannie Mae will soon accept so-called crypto-backed mortgages for the first time, the latest expansion of cryptocurrencies into mainstream financial transactions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

He said he would permit mortgage giants Fannie Mae External link and Freddie Mac External link to use a product from competitor VantageScore if they chose.

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

In one day, my Aunt Fannie Mae went to heaven and I moved to Detroit.

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