mom

[ mom ]

/ mɒm /

Informal.

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noun

a person’s mother or one’s mother.

a term of endearment used to refer to a woman or girl who is admired: Obviously she has no kids, but she is such a mom.She came on stage at the beginning of the concert, and I was like, MOM.All her friends call her “mom” even though she just started middle school.

adjective

beautiful or stylish; amazing; to be admired: That outfit is mom!She’s so mom in that movie.

verb (used with object)

to act as a mother toward; act maternally toward, sometimes in an excessive way: She just mommed me with advice.I think I just got mommed by my cat.She totally mommed those bullies.

to refer to (an admired woman or girl) as “mom”: My friends mommed the selfie I just posted.

verb (used without object)

to perform the tasks or duties of a female parent; act maternally, sometimes in an excessive way: I like the way she moms.She mommed out hard after I came home late.

(of a woman or girl) to refer to an admired woman or girl as “mom”: Whenever I comment on photos of my friends, I mom.

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of mom

First recorded in 1845–50; short for momma

Words nearby mom

molybdenum, molybdenum disulfide, molybdenum trioxide, molybdic, molybdous, mom, Momaday, mom-and-pop, Mombasa, mome, moment

Other definitions for mom (2 of 2)

m.o.m.

abbreviation

middle of month.

How to use mom in a sentence

Among moms, just 9% reported being promoted while WFH, and 13% said they’d landed a pay bump.
Moms are getting fewer raises and promotions than dads while working remotely|kristenlbellstrom|August 28, 2020|Fortune
The stress dose went up a notch for the third group, which had daily separation from siblings and no access to mom during that hour.
Puberty can repair the brain’s stress responses after hardship early in life|Esther Landhuis|August 28, 2020|Science News
The researchers assessed the monkeys’ willingness to let go of mom and explore the new digs.
A bit of stress may help young people build resilience|Esther Landhuis|August 27, 2020|Science News For Students
Their moms laid the eggs as adults living in air instead of in the youngsters’ tetracycline-tinged soup.
Genetically modified mosquitoes have been OK’d for a first U.S. test flight|Susan Milius|August 22, 2020|Science News

We had started our collaborative artistic journey together, drawing from picture books at home by our mom’s side.
Crafting our path|Tate Ryan-Mosley|August 19, 2020|MIT Technology Review
I meant no harm by it, but I remembered how this person talked, and I did it for my Mom and she was not into it.
Coffee Talk with Fred Armisen: On ‘Portlandia,’ Meeting Obama, and Taylor Swift’s Greatness|Marlow Stern|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Not only does his mom live in Brooklyn, but he also has a child with a woman there.
Alleged Cop Killer Ismaaiyl Brinsley Had a Death Wish|M.L. Nestel|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The kids are out of school, Mom is out of get-up-and-go, Dad is out of work.
Congress’ Gift That Keeps on Giving|P. J. O’Rourke|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In another phone call two days later, Wright asked his mom who had the car.
The Navy ‘Hero’ Who Pimped an HIV-Positive Teen|M.L. Nestel|December 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Witnesses say his last words were “it hurt” and “call my mom.”
Worse Than Eric Garner: Cops Who Got Away With Killing Autistic Men and Little Girls|Emily Shire|December 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Old Mom always had a friendly greeting for me and knew in which pocket I had parked the peanuts.
David Lannarck, Midget|George S. Harney
But mom'll say what I ain't got in my head I got to have in my feet.
Patchwork|Anna Balmer Myers
I tell you this because I can see that you are just like your mom was, you like pretty things so much.
Patchwork|Anna Balmer Myers
It was his fault she was so far from Mom and Dad when a thing like this happened.
A World Called Crimson|Darius John Granger
And his mom'll say to his dad, 'George, Dear—is the ionocar nice and shiny?
The Planet Strappers|Raymond Zinke Gallun

British Dictionary definitions for mom

mom

/ (mɒm) /

noun

mainly US and Canadian an informal word for mother 1

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