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mum¹

(mŭm)

adj.

Not verbalizing; silent.

interj.

Used as a command to stop speaking.

Idiom:

mum's the word

Say nothing of the secret you know: Mum's the word on the surprise party.

[Middle English mom, mum, perhaps imitative of closing one's lips.]

mum²

(mŭm)

intr.v. mummed, mum·ming, mums

1. To act or play in a pantomime.

2. To go merrymaking in a mask or disguise especially during a festival.

[Middle English mummen, from Old French momer, to masquerade, mum, probably imitative of the indistinct, muffled voices of mummers behind their masks.]

mum³

(mŭm)

n.
Chiefly British

Mother.

[Short for MUMMY².]

mum⁴

(mŭm)

A chrysanthemum.

mum⁵

(mŭm)

A strong beer originally brewed in Brunswick, Germany.

[German Mumme.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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