Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “mamma mia” come from?

mamma mia (English) comes from Italian mamma mia, from Italian mamma, from French maman, from Latin mamma, from Latin ferō, from Proto-Italic ferō, from Proto-Indo-European bʰéreti, from Proto-Indo-European bʰēr- — shiny, light brown.

mamma mia (English): A mild expression of surprise, supposed to be...

Definitions

  1. A mild expression of surprise, supposed to be...

Ancestry of “mamma mia”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Italianmamma miamy goodness!, goodness me!
2Italianmammamom , mommy , mum , mummy; mother; type of...
3Frenchmamanmummy, mom, mum
4Latinmammaa breast; an udder; a pap; a teat, a dug
5Latinferō—
6Proto-Italicferōcarry, bear
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰéretito be carrying
8Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰēr-shiny, light brown
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰēr- →