Where does “ma” come from?
ma (Tagalog) comes from Tagalog mama, from Spanish mamá, 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.
ma (Tagalog): term of address for one's mother: mom; mum; mommy; mummy; momma; maw
Definitions
- term of address for one's mother: mom; mum; mommy; mummy; momma; maw
Ancestry of “ma”, step by step
ma traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Tagalog mama
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tagalog | mama | a term used in referring to, or in addressing, a... |
| 2 | Spanish | mamá | mum, mom; a term of affection for a woman |
| 3 | French | maman | mummy, mom, mum |
| 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 Cantonese 馬
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cantonese | 馬 | — |