mummy

UK: /ˈmʌmi/ US: /ˈmʌmi/ ,(mum′ē)

Inflections of 'mummy' (n): npl: mummies

Inflections of 'mummy' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

mummies

v 3rd person singular

mummying

v pres p

mummied

v past

mummied

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

mum•my¹ /ˈmʌmi/   n. [countable] , pl. -mies. 

1. the dead body of a human being or animal that has been preserved from decay by an ancient Egyptian process or some similar method.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

mum•my¹  (mum′ē), n., pl. -mies, v., -mied, -my•ing. 
n. 

1. the dead body of a human being or animal preserved by the ancient Egyptian process or some similar method of embalming.
2. a dead body dried and preserved by nature.
3. a withered or shrunken living being.
4. Plant Diseases a dry, shriveled fruit, tuber, or other plant organ, resulting from any of several fungous diseases.

v.t. 

5. to make into or cause to resemble a mummy;
   mummify.

• Persian mūm wax
• Arabic mūmiyah mummy, literally, bitumen
• Medieval Latin mummia
• Middle English mummie 1350–1400

mum•my²  (mum′ē), n., pl. -mies. [Chiefly Brit.]

1. mother.

• mum⁴ + -y² 1815–25

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

mummy / ˈmʌmɪ/ noun ( -mies)

1. an embalmed or preserved body, esp as prepared for burial in ancient Egypt
2. a mass of pulp
3. a dark brown pigment

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French momie, from Medieval Latin mumia, from Arabic mūmiyah asphalt, from Persian mūm wax

mummy / ˈmʌmɪ/ noun ( -mies)

1. 
   a child's word for mother1

Etymology: 19th Century: variant of mum¹