mum
Pluralmums
Pluralmums
- 1
- 2Not saying anything, especially to keep a secret.
When the teacher asked who broke the window, the whole class was mum.
The citizens are mum, and speak not a word.
c. 1593, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third:”Here, mum means silent, saying nothing at all.UsageSay stay mum or mum's the word: say nothing.
Note
- 3A chrysanthemum, a kind of flower that people grow in gardens and pots.
Grandma planted a yellow mum next to the front steps.
We bought three pots of orange mums for the porch.
UsageOften mums: a pot of mums.
Similarchrysanthemum
Note
Less common meanings
- 4Being quiet and not saying anything.
Note
- 5A flower decoration with ribbons and the wearer's name and school, worn by girls at high school homecoming.
She wore a big mum with long blue ribbons to the homecoming game.
The mums for sale at the school had ribbons in the team colors.
Note
- 6Used to tell someone to be quiet and stop talking.
Mum, then, and no more.
1610, William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”Here, mum means be quiet and say no more.Note
- 7Old-fashioned spelling of ma'am: a polite word used when speaking to a woman, as servants did.
"Yes, mum, I will bring the tea right away," said the maid.
"A telegruff message, mum, for Mr. William," said the maid, looking at her mistress with eyes opened wide, as she handed the important bit of paper to her master.
1865, Anthony Trollope, “William Belton Does Not Go Out Hunting”Here, mum means ma'am, a polite way to speak to a woman.Note
- 8To make someone or something stop making noise.
"Well, Sal, you mum your dubber pretty generally, but when you do slacken your glib you may as well do it civilly."
1857, Hidden Links; Or the Schoolfellows. A TaleHere, mum means to make something quiet, so you keep your mouth shut.Note
- 9To act in a show where people tell a story with movements, not words.
- 10A kind of strong beer that first came from Brunswick in Germany.
The clamorous crowd is hushed with mugs of mum.
1728, [Alexander Pope], The Dunciad
Showing meanings only.
Practice
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Origins
This word is a short form of mummy, or another form of mam.
Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 1 fact
- Mum is a short form of mummy or another form of mam. en.wiktionary.org
This is a short form of chrysanthemum.
Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 1 fact
- The flower name mum is a short form of chrysanthemum. en.wiktionary.org
This word comes from Middle English mum, meaning "silent". It copies the sound you make when your mouth is covered.
Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 2 facts
- The word comes from Middle English mum, meaning “silent”. en.wiktionary.org
- The word imitates the sound made with the mouth covered. en.wiktionary.org
This is another form of ma'am.
Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 1 fact
- Mum is another form of ma'am. en.wiktionary.org