English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Probably an affectionate alteration of mama or reduplication of mother.

Noun

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mamaw (plural mamaws)

  1. (UK, dialect, Scottish lowlands) One's mother.
  2. (US, dialect, Southern US) One's grandmother, especially one's maternal grandmother.
  3. (US, dialect, Southern US, less commonly) One's mother.

Usage notes

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"Ma maw" is Lowland Scots for "my mother". "Ma" is used when addressing one's own mother, and "maw" when addressing others' mothers ("aye yer maw", Glaswegian humour implying disbelief with a hint of ridicule).

Synonyms

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See also

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Cebuano

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Cognate with Tagalog mamaw (monster; talented; intelligent) and Hiligaynon mamaw (Elf, goblin, sprite, fairy, ghost, etc.).

Noun

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mámaw

  1. bogeyman; monster; devil; demon
    Ayawg kanáug sa sílung kay náay mámaw.
    Don’t go out because there is a bogeyman.

References

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  • John U. Wolff (1972) A dictionary of Cebuano Visayan[1] (overall work in Cebuano and English), Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press

Hiligaynon

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Etymology

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Cognate with Tagalog mamaw (monster; talented; intelligent) and Cebuano mamaw (monster; devil; demon).

Noun

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mamaw

  1. elf; goblin; sprite; fairy; ghost; etc.
    Synonyms: mamamáhoy, tamáo, tumáo, kamâkamâ

Tagalog

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Etymology

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Cognate with Cebuano mamaw (monster; devil; demon) and Hiligaynon mamaw (Elf, goblin, sprite, fairy, ghost, etc.). Possibly related to Tagalog halimaw, which is from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *qari-mauŋ.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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mamaw (Baybayin spelling ᜋᜋᜏ᜔)

  1. (childish) ghost
    Synonyms: multo, mumu
  2. (childish) monster
  3. (colloquial) very talented or intelligent person
    Mamaw si Bryan, dahil marunong siya ng hindi kumulang sa limang wika.
    Bryan is a monster/brilliant, since he knows no less than five languages.

Adjective

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mamaw (Baybayin spelling ᜋᜋᜏ᜔)

  1. ferocious; bestially cruel
    Synonyms: halimaw, mabangis
  NODES
Note 3