mom English · revision 3446

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=clipping|attested=1867|origins=en mamma}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /mɒm/, US /mɑːm/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a shortened and altered form of [[momma]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(MW Collegiate)^(AHD 2000) itself an alteration of [[mamma]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) and partly a variant of [[mam]] and [[mum]].^(SOED 2002) Etymonline suggests a shortening of [[mommy]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Mother: 1867, American English, in Etymonline;^(Etymonline) 1894 in Barnhart, the OED and Merriam-Webster's Collegiate,^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate) and 1846 in Merriam-Webster Unabridged and the Historical Thesaurus.^(MWU 2024)^(HTOED)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Momma'' is recorded from 1884 and ''mommy'' from 1902, both American;^(Barnhart 1988) British English has the similar formations ''mum'' (1823) and ''mummy'' (1839).^(Barnhart 1988) The SOED notes a use for a matriarchal American mother, as in ''Mom's apple pie''.^(SOED 2002) ''Mom-and-pop'', of a small business run by a married couple, is by 1946.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1846 – ''mom''.^(MWU 2024)^(HTOED)

+ * 1884 – ''momma''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1894 – ''mom'' (Barnhart, OED).^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1946 – ''mom-and-pop''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(chiefly North American, informal)'' [[mother|alt=Mother]].^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[momism]]

+ * [[mom-and-pop]]

+ * [[mommy]]

+ * [[supermom]]

+ * [[soccer mom]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[mum]]

+ * [[mama]]

+ * [[mamma]]

+ * [[momma]]

+ * [[mother]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The SOED marks ''mom'' as colloquial and chiefly North American;^(SOED 2002) the British equivalent is ''mum''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}