Lewis & Short

mamma, ae, f., = μα:μμα, a breast, pap, esp. of females, rarely of males; also, a teat, dug of animals.

  1. I. Lit.: puero isti date mammam, give him the breast, suckle him, Plaut. Truc. 2, 5, 1; id. Trin. 5, 1, 16: puer in gremio matris sedens, mammam appetens, Cic. Div. 2, 41, 85: ubera mammarum, Lucr. 5, 885.
    Of a man: mammas homo solus e maribus habet, Plin. 11, 39, 95, § 232; Cic. Fin. 3, 5, 18; Just. 12, 9 fin.
    Of animals, Cic. N. D. 2, 51, 18: mammam sugere, Varr. R. R. 2, 1, 20: mammas praebere, Plin. 11, 40, 95, § 234: mamma sterilescit, dries up, id. ib.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. A protuberance on the bark of a tree, Plin. 17, 16, 26, § 118.
    2. B. In the language of children, mother, mamma: cum cibum ac potionem buas ac papas vocent, matrem mammam, patrem tatam, Varr. ap. Non. 81, 4; Mart. 1, 101, 1.
      In inscrr., for mother, Inscr. Orell. 2769; 2813; for grandmother, Inscr. Mur. 1134, 3; for nurse, Inscr. Visc. Mus. Pio-Clem. t. 2, p. 82.