mum

mum — noun

1. an informal British word for your mother — the woman who gave birth to you or ra

1.nounA1
Definition

an informal British word for your mother — the woman who gave birth to you or raised you.

Example

Emma's mum makes the best roast potatoes on Sundays.

Owen asked his mum if she could drive him to football practice.

informal British English: 'mum' instead of 'mother'

Common collocations
  • my mum
  • your mum
  • sb's mum
  • Mum and Dad
Synonyms
  • mother

    neutral and formal; used in writing and official contexts

  • mummy

    even more informal than 'mum', often used by young children in BrE

  • mom

    the standard informal term in American English; rarely used in BrE

Antonyms
  • dad

    informal British term for father

  • father

    neutral or formal term for a male parent

Usage Note

In British English, 'mum' is the standard informal term for mother, used both in direct address ('Hi, Mum!') and in reference ('My mum is a teacher'). It is much more common in everyday speech than 'mother', which sounds formal.

Common Mistakes

I would like to introduce my mum, Dr. Sarah Chen.
I would like to introduce my mother, Dr. Sarah Chen.
In formal introductions, 'mother' is more appropriate than 'mum'.

2. a short, informal way of saying chrysanthemum — a garden plant with large, brigh

2.nounB1
Definition

a short, informal way of saying chrysanthemum — a garden plant with large, brightly coloured flowers that bloom in autumn.

Example

The garden was full of bright yellow mums blooming in October.

plural form 'mums' for chrysanthemums

Adaeze bought a pot of purple mums for her grandmother's birthday.

Common collocations
  • yellow / white / purple mums
  • pot of mums
  • bunch of mums
  • mums in bloom
Synonyms
  • chrysanthemum

    the full form; used in formal and botanical contexts

Usage Note

This shortened form is most common in British and American gardening contexts and flower shops. It is not used in formal botanical writing.

Idioms

the Bank of Mum and Dad

idiom

Money that parents give to their adult children to help them pay for things.

Sara used the Bank of Mum and Dad to buy her first car.

Did Diego rely on the Bank of Mum and Dad for his tuition fees?

mum — adjective

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe someone who is not speaking, but they differ in tone and use. 'Silent' is the most general and neutral: it simply means making no sound ('The room fell silent when the headteacher walked in'). 'Quiet' suggests a naturally reserved manner rather than deliberate concealment ('Élise was quiet throughout the dinner'). 'Tight-lipped' specifically describes someone who refuses to share information, often in a formal context ('The minister remained tight-lipped about the budget cuts'). 'Secretive' carries a more negative connotation of actively hiding things ('Ziad was secretive about his weekend plans'). 'Keep mum' is informal and British, used for keeping a surprise or secret by choice, without the suspicion that 'secretive' implies. For example, you would keep mum about a birthday gift but stay tight-lipped about a company's financial trouble.

silent ↗tight-lippedsecretive ↗quiet ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • Mum and Dad
  • keep mum
  • stay mum
  • remain mum

Prepositions

Etymology

Middle EnglishEnglish

The noun sense 'mother' comes from a shortening of 'mother', first recorded in informal British English around the early 19th century. The noun sense 'chrysanthemum' is also a shortening, appearing in the late 19th century among gardeners and florists. The adjective sense traces back to Middle English 'mum' (meaning 'silent'), which imitates the sound made when the lips are pressed together — a natural gesture for silence.