(also mamma ) / ˈmæmə; NAmE / noun
1.
/ ( BrE also) məˈmɑː/ ( NAmE or BrE , old-fashioned ) mother
—see also mummy
2.
in some places in Africa, a mother or older woman (often used as a title that shows respect) :
Leave this work to us, mama.
Miriam Makeba became known as Mama Africa.
Mama Ngina Kenyatta
••
WORD ORIGIN
mid 16th cent.: imitative of a child's first syllables ma , ma .