Dictionary.com

mammy

[ mam-ee ]
/ ˈmæm i /

noun, plural mam·mies.

Informal. mother1.
Disparaging and Offensive. (formerly in the southern United States) a Black woman engaged to take care of white children or as a servant to a white family.

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Origin of mammy

First recorded in 1515–25; mamm(a)1 + -y2

usage note for mammy

At the time of the Civil War and into the 20th century, the mammy was characterized as being strong, kind, and loyal. But her image was also that of an overweight, unattractive, and often illiterate enslaved household servant. This reinforced the association of this designation with racial stereotypes of inferiority and abject submissiveness. See also Aunt Jemima.

Words nearby mammy

Mammoth Cave National Park, mammoth jack, mammotomy, mammotropic, mammula, mammy, mammy chair, mammy wagon, mamoncillo, Mamoré, mampara
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for mammy

British Dictionary definitions for mammy

mammy

mammie

/ (ˈmæmɪ) /

noun plural -mies

a child's word for mother 1
mainly Southern US a Black woman employed as a nurse or servant to a White family
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012