Where does “mama” come from?
mama (Mauritian Creole) comes 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.
mama (Mauritian Creole): mother; uncle
Definitions
- mother; uncle
Ancestry of “mama”, step by step
mama traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via French maman
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | maman | mummy, mom, mum |
| 2 | Latin | mamma | a breast; an udder; a pap; a teat, a dug |
| 3 | Latin | ferō | to bear; to carry |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | ferō | carry, bear |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰéreti | to be carrying |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰēr- | shiny, light brown |
via Hindi मामा
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hindi | मामा | maternal uncle |
| 2 | Sanskrit | माम | uncle |
| 3 | Proto-Dravidian | *māma | maternal or specific paternal (father's sister's husband) uncle |
via Marathi मामा
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marathi | मामा | maternal uncle |