mum
1 Americanadjective
interjection
idioms
noun
noun
noun
noun
adjective
noun
noun
verb
noun
Usage
What does mum mean? Mum is an adjective that means keeping quiet. It can also be used by itself to mean Be quiet!This sense of mum is especially used in the expressions keep mum and mum’s the word. In the U. K. and other places, mum is used as a word for mom or madam. It’s also commonly used as a short way of saying chrysanthemum, a type of flower. Example: Mum’s keeping mum—I can’t get a word out of her!
Etymology
Origin of mum1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English momme; imitative
Origin of mum2
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English mommen, verb use of mum 1; compare Middle Dutch mommen ”to act the mummer's part”
Origin of mum3
First recorded in 1890–95; shortened form
Origin of mum4
First recorded in 1815–25; nursery word; see mom
Origin of mum5
First recorded in 1630–40; from German Mumme, said to have been named after Christian Mumme, the brewer who made it
Origin of mum6
Variant of ma'am
Explanation
Someone who's mum has nothing to say, especially on a particular subject. If you agree to keep someone's secret, you could tell them, "Mum's the word!" A shy child who's new at school might stay mum all day, and even your most talkative friend might remain mum on controversial topics like religion and politics. In many parts of the world, mum is also a nickname for your mother — and it's also a nickname for the flower called a chrysanthemum. The "quiet" meaning of mum comes from Old English, inspired by the "mmm" sound you make when your lips are closed.
Vocabulary lists containing mum
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Her family actually hail from near Porthcawl, with mum Carol Jones and her Welsh-speaking Nain, external Millie Jones emigrating from Maesteg, also in Bridgend county, to Australia in the 1950s.
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026
Emily Evans, 21, from Kidwelly in Carmarthenshire, is a stay-at-home mum to her two young children.
From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2026
While the museum has largely kept mum, Sytner, an 82-year-old Liverpool native based in Italy, has gone to great lengths to persuade collectors and experts of his car’s singular authenticity.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2026
"We last saw him at the end of January 2024, when my sister, mum and I left, and he stayed behind," the 19-year-old said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 31, 2026
“I came because your mum asked me to.”
From "A Monster Calls" by Patrick Ness
Along with the buzz on Twitter, Instagram mummed with the news of Herbert’s new deal.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 6, 2023
The local theatre and performance group have been committed to carrying the rural custom of "mumming" or "rhyming" into the 21st century, and in doing so caught the attention of McQueen's creative director, Seán McGirr.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2025
Historically, mumming saw groups dress up in masks and costume, going from house to house to perform poetry, theatre, music and dance.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2025
As Farmer's Almanac notes, there was also a custom to literally put on a little show at a strangers doorstep, which was called "mumming."
From Salon ● Oct. 31, 2022
His accent is good, his mumming of characteristic meticulousness.
From Time Magazine Archive
It is jolly fun to go out mumming at Christmas!
From What Happened to Inger Johanne As Told by Herself by Dikken Zwilgmeyer
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
