mum

¹

[muhm]

adjective

1. silent; not saying a word.

   to keep mum.

interjection

1. (used to demand immediate silence.)

mum

²

Or mumm

[muhm]

verb (used without object)

mummed, mumming 

1. to say “mum”; call for silence.

2. to act as a mummer.

mum

³

[muhm]

noun

1. chrysanthemum.

mum

⁴

[muhm]

noun

Chiefly British.

1. mom.

mum

⁵

[muhm]

noun

1. a strong beer or ale, first made in Brunswick, Germany.

mum

⁶

[muhm]

noun

Chiefly British.

1. madam.

mum

¹

/ mʌm /

adjective

1. keeping information to oneself; silent

noun

1. silence or secrecy is to be observed

mum

²

/ mʌm /

noun

1. an informal word for mother 1

mum

³

/ mʌm /

verb

1. (intr) to act in a mummer's play

mum

⁴

/ mʌm /

noun

1. obsolete,  a type of beer made from cereals, beans, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of mum¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English momme; imitative

Origin of mum²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English mommen, verb use of mum ¹; compare Middle Dutch mommen ”to act the mummer's part”

Origin of mum³

First recorded in 1890–95; shortened form

Origin of mum⁴

First recorded in 1815–25; nursery word; mom

Origin of mum⁵

First recorded in 1630–40; from German Mumme, said to have been named after Christian Mumme, the brewer who made it

Origin of mum⁶

Variant of ma'am

Word History and Origins

Origin of mum¹

C14: suggestive of closed lips

Origin of mum²

C19: a child's word

Origin of mum³

C16: verbal use of _mum ²

Origin of mum⁴

C17: from German Mumme, perhaps from the name of its original brewer

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. mum's the word, do not reveal what you know (about something); keep silent.

   Mum's the word, or the surprise party won't be a surprise.

Example Sentences

"Phil went up to his house to leave the tribute from the club and he went to see his mum and dad. The club always wanted him around."

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Describing the toll the alleged stalking had on the family, Ms McCann added: "My mum found it the hardest and was harassed by Julia more than the rest of us."

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"At around that time, my mum started to develop dementia, and I felt I was being pulled in so many different directions," she explained to presenter Anita Rani.

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"She called me mum ... she was asking for a DNA test, 'why won't you do a DNA test?' and pleading with me," she said.

Read more on Barron's

From the ancient Irish practice of mumming to walking the red carpet, the Armagh Rhymers were central to a meeting of myth and couture for McQueen's Paris Fashion Week show.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• bashful 

When To Use

What does mum mean?

Mum is an adjective that means keeping quiet. It can also be used by itself to mean Be quiet!This sense of mum is especially used in the expressions keep mum and mum’s the word. In the U.K. and other places, mum is used as a word for mom or madam. It’s also commonly used as a short way of saying chrysanthemum, a type of flower.Example: Mum’s keeping mum—I can’t get a word out of her!