DEFINITIONS
The
2019 WORD
OF THE YEAR is...

mum

2

or mumm

[ muhm ]
/ mʌm /

verb (used without object), mummed, mum·ming.

to say “mum”; call for silence.
to act as a mummer.

Content related to mum

Why Do We Say “Trick or Treat”?It's many kids' favorite part of Halloween. There’s no feeling quite like waiting for a stranger to open their door so you can scream the words "Trick or treat"! But, why do we say it? What does it actually mean?
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Words nearby mum

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Origin of mum

2
1350–1400; Middle English mommen, v. use of mum1; compare Middle Dutch mommen to act the mummer's part
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for mumming

British Dictionary definitions for mumming (1 of 4)

mum1
/ (mʌm) /

noun

mainly British an informal word for mother 1

Word Origin for mum

C19: a child's word

British Dictionary definitions for mumming (2 of 4)

mum2
/ (mʌm) /

adjective

keeping information to oneself; silent

noun

mum's the word silence or secrecy is to be observed

Word Origin for mum

C14: suggestive of closed lips

British Dictionary definitions for mumming (3 of 4)

mum3

mumm

/ (mʌm) /

verb mums, mumming or mummed

(intr) to act in a mummer's play

Word Origin for mum

C16: verbal use of mum ²

British Dictionary definitions for mumming (4 of 4)

mum4
/ (mʌm) /

noun

British obsolete a type of beer made from cereals, beans, etc

Word Origin for mum

C17: from German Mumme, perhaps from the name of its original brewer
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