ma

¹ American  

[mah] / mɑ /

noun

Informal.

1. mother.

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Ma ² American  

[mah] / mɑ /

noun

1. Yo-Yo born 1955, U.S. cellist, born in Paris of Chinese descent.

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MA ³ American  

abbreviation

1. Massachusetts (approved especially for use with zip code).

2. Psychology. mental age.

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mA ⁴ American  

1. milliampere; milliamperes.

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M.A. ⁵ American  

abbreviation

1. Master of Arts.

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M.A. ⁶ American  

abbreviation

1. Psychology. mental age.

2. Military Academy.

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MA ¹ British  

abbreviation

1. Massachusetts

2. Master of Arts

3. psychol mental age

4. Military Academy

5. Morocco (international car registration)

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Ma ² British  

/ mɑː /

noun

1. Yo-Yo (ˈjəʊjəʊ). born 1955, US cellist, born in France to Chinese parents

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ma ³ British  

/ mɑː /

noun

1. an informal word for mother 1

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ma ⁴ British  

abbreviation

1. Morocco

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Etymology

Origin of ma¹

Shortened variant of mama

Origin of M.A.⁵

From Latin Magister Artium

Example Sentences

“I wonder what we did to you that makes you go there so often,” my ma said a few years back on the phone while I sat in the lobby of Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 21, 2025

This was followed by two smiley faces and a later post saying "April fool ma brother ohh".

From BBC • Jan. 10, 2025

The 68-year-old ma capsized his sailboat in the marina basin and was attempting to swim to shore with his boat when witnesses saw him go under the water, officials said.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 11, 2024

“Tunes hiv been whirlin aroon in the air an in ma heid an hairt since I wis a bairn, an I wis composing tunes an songs even then,” she wrote in her book.

From New York Times • Nov. 9, 2022

The babies were inside with their ma and the oldest girl, Maggie, but the rest of them hung all over Jeb, as usual.

From "The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs" by Betty G. Birney

Related Words

• grandmother
• mommy
• parent