Fannie Mae

American  

Or Fanny Mae

noun

1. Federal National Mortgage Association.

2. any of the publicly traded securities collateralized by a pool of mortgages backed by the Federal National Mortgage Association.

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Fannie Mae British  

/ ˈfænɪ meɪ /

noun

1. (in the US)an informal name for the Federal National Mortgage Association, a private company that buys and sells mortgage debt

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Etymology

Origin of Fannie Mae

Altered from FNMA, the association's initials

Compare meaning

How does fannie-mae compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Ginnie Mae vs. Fannie Mae

Example Sentences

Immediately on confirmation he was handed a second giant portfolio—chairman of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026

The appointment of Pulte to a dual role makes a potential stock offering for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac much less likely.

From Barron's • Jun. 2, 2026

In an announcement on his social media platform on Tuesday, Trump praised Pulte for overseeing government-controlled mortgage companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026

Meanwhile, shares of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-backed mortgage giants, fell after Bill Pulte was appointed acting director of national intelligence.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026

And when I turned seven, that’s when my Aunt Fannie Mae died.

From "Betty Before X" by Ilyasah Shabazz and Renée Watson