mammy

[mam-ee]

noun, plural mam·mies.

Informal. mother¹.
Disparaging and Offensive. (formerly in the southern U.S.) a black woman engaged as a nurse to white children or as a servant to a white family.

Origin of mammy

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

Usage note

At the time of the Civil War and into the 20th century, the Southern mammy was characterized as being strong, kind, and loyal. But her image was also that of an overweight, unattractive, and often illiterate household slave. This reinforced racial stereotypes of inferiority and servility. See also Aunt Jemima.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for mammy

Historical Examples of mammy

Just then Maria put her head in at the door to say, "May Lilly, yo' mammy's callin' you."
The Little Colonel
Annie Fellows Johnston
At last the grown-up sisters absorbed all of Mammy's spare time.
Southern Lights and Shadows
Various
We had long since ceased to think of Mammy Becky—she was never Rebecca—as property.
Southern Lights and Shadows
Various
We had heard it rumored that there were some suitors for Mammy's hand.
Southern Lights and Shadows
Various
I also felt that Mammy's room had a more homelike aspect than my own.
Southern Lights and Shadows
Various

British Dictionary definitions for mammy

mammy

mammie

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

Word Origin and History for mammy

1520s, diminutive of mam (see mamma). Meaning "black woman having the care of white children" is by 1837, Southern U.S. dialect, variant of mamma.