מומע

Yiddish

Etymology

From Middle High German muome, from Old High German muoma, from Proto-West Germanic *mōmā, from Proto-Germanic *mōmǭ (“mother, aunt”). Cognate with German Muhme, Middle English mome (“aunt, affectionate term for an older woman”), English mom (“mother”).

Pronunciation

• (YIVO, Northeastern) IPA^(key): [ˈmʊmə]
• (Poylish) IPA^(key): [ˈmiːmə]
• (Ukrainish) IPA^(key): [ˈmimə]

Noun

מומע • (mume) f, plural מומעס (mumes)

1. aunt

   Synonyms: (dialectal or Daytshmerish) טאַנטע (tante), (Western Yiddish) מעמעלע (memele)

2. lady that runs a brothel, madam

Usage notes

This is one of few Yiddish nouns to inflect, optionally becoming מומען (mumen) in the dative, and מומעס (mumes) in the possessive.