Meaning & use
mama-to-be
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Meaning
nouncountableinformal
A woman who is pregnant or about to become a mother.
Grammar: Countable noun; plural is 'mamas-to-be' or 'mama-to-bes'. Often used with 'a' or 'the'.
Patterns
- a mama-to-be
- the mama-to-be
- mamas-to-be
She announced on Instagram that she is a mama-to-be.
The baby shower was full of games and gifts for the mama-to-be.
All the mamas-to-be in the prenatal class shared their due dates.
Word forms
| plural | mamas-to-be |
|---|---|
| plural | mama-to-bes |
Common combinations
- a mama-to-be
- The photo showed a glowing mama-to-be holding her bump.
- mama-to-be status
- She updated her profile to mama-to-be status.
- for the mama-to-be
- They bought a soft blanket for the mama-to-be.
- fellow mamas-to-be
- She swapped tips with fellow mamas-to-be online.
Synonyms and how they differ
- expectant mother
- More formal and neutral; use it in medical or official contexts rather than casual chat.
- mother-to-be
- Very similar in meaning but slightly more neutral and a little less affectionate than 'mama-to-be'.
- pregnant woman
- Direct and factual, but it sounds clinical and misses the celebratory tone of 'mama-to-be'.
Word family
Commonly confused: mama-to-be or mama's boy?
mama-to-be vs mama's boy
This means a boy or man who is overly dependent on his mother, which is a negative label. It is not the same as 'mama-to-be'.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'mama-to-be' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Option 0 fits because 'mama-to-be' means a woman who is pregnant or about to become a mother, and avoiding caffeine is typical during pregnancy. Option 1 is wrong because 'mama-to-be' refers to the pregnant woman, not a helpful son. Option 2 is wrong because it is a person, not an object. Option 3 is wrong because it does not describe people who just got married.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “mama-to-be”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.