mammy

[ mam-ee ]

/ ˈmæm i /

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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

mammoplasty, mammoth, Mammoth Cave National Park, mammoth jack, mammula, mammy, mammy chair, mammy wagon, mamoncillo, Mamoré, mampara

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use mammy in a sentence

I looked up at sound of a startled exclamation, and beheld the round African physog of Lyn Rowan's colored mammy.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
But, Mandy Ann held her back and whispered, "Can't you done 'have yerself at yer mammy's funeral an' we the only mourners?"
The Cromptons|Mary J. Holmes
It is cold, Mammy, said Jess to the Beldings old serving woman.
The Girls of Central High on the Stage|Gertrude W. Morrison
"You naughty fairy," said her big brother, catching her and handing her over to mammy after the kiss was bestowed.
The Story of the Big Front Door|Mary Finley Leonard

We are getting on very well, though I think Joanna is too bossy, and mammy is nearly as bad.
The Story of the Big Front Door|Mary Finley Leonard

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