noun

mummy

mummy, mum

We saw an ancient mummy at the museum.

We saw an ancient mummy at the museum.

A little boy called for his mummy.

A little boy called for his mummy.

a/the mummy (preserved body) We saw an ancient mummy at the museum.

Synonyms (preserved body): preserved corpse; Synonyms (mother): mum, mother

From Arabic 'mūmiyā' (bitumen), used in embalming. The 'mother' sense is from a child's reduplication of 'ma'.

Picture a scary Egyptian mummy calling for its 'mummy' (mother). This links the two meanings.

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