Where does “ama” come from?
Amah comes from Old Portuguese ama, from Latin mamma meaning mother or breast, ultimately from Ancient Greek μάμμᾰ with the same meaning.
ama (English): Alternative spelling of amah; A traditional...
Definitions
- Alternative spelling of amah; A traditional...
Ancestry of “ama”, step by step
ama traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Portuguese ama
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portuguese | ama | female nurse; female housekeeper; governess |
| 2 | Old Portuguese | ama | mistress |
| 3 | Medieval Latin | amma | wet nurse, amma |
| 4 | Latin | mamma | a breast; an udder; a pap; a teat, a dug |
| 5 | Latin | ferō | to bear; to carry |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | ferō | carry, bear |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰéreti | to be carrying |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰēr- | shiny, light brown |
via Japanese 海女
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japanese | 海女 | a female diver, especially for shellfish and... |
| 2 | Proto-Japonic | *amay | — |
via Sanskrit अम
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sanskrit | अम | disease; strength |