Meaning & use
mom
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Meanings
nouncountableinformalAmerican
A person's mother, used affectionately and informally, especially in American English.
Grammar: Used with my or a: my mom. When used as a name, it is capitalized: Mom, where are my keys?
Patterns
- my mom
My mom makes the best pancakes on Sunday.
Mom, can you pick me up after practice?
He called his mom every evening.
nouncountableinformal
A woman who looks after children as a mother would, in everyday talk about family life.
Grammar: Often appears in compounds like soccer mom or stay-at-home mom.
Patterns
- a stay-at-home mom
She is a stay-at-home mom of three.
Many working moms juggle jobs and school pick-ups.
Word forms
| plural | moms |
|---|
Common combinations
- stay-at-home mom
- She is a stay-at-home mom with two toddlers.
- single mom
- My neighbor is a single mom who works nights.
- mom and dad
- Mom and dad are visiting this weekend.
- future mom
- The future mom picked out a crib.
Synonyms and how they differ
- mother
- More formal and neutral; mom is warm and used in conversation.
- mum
- The usual British spelling for the same informal word.
- mama
- More childlike and tender, used by small children.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: mom or mum?
mom vs mum
Mum is the British spelling; mom is American. They mean the same thing.
Practice
Which spelling would an American writer normally use for the informal word for mother?
Choose one answer.
Mom is the standard American spelling. Mum is British, and the other forms are regional or incorrect.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “mom”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.