Added 10 October 2026
ma
/mɑː/ noun
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about ma at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
Origin
The sound, which parents interpret as a reference to themselves, is very commonly made by infants. For more on the linguistic process whereby infants' monosyllables are tied to ancient word roots for parents, see mama, papa, mātēr, and patēr.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)