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Webster 1913 Edition

Mummy

Mum′my

(mŭm′my̆)
,
Noun.
;
pl.
Mummies
(mŭm′mĭz)
.
[F.
momie
; cf. Sp. & Pg.
momia
, It.
mummia
; all fr. Per.
mūmiyā
, fr.
mūm
wax.]
1.
A dead body embalmed and dried after the manner of the ancient Egyptians; also, a body preserved, by any means, in a dry state, from the process of putrefaction.
Bacon.
2.
Dried flesh of a mummy.
[Obs.]
Sir. J. Hill.
3.
A gummy liquor that exudes from embalmed flesh when heated; – formerly supposed to have magical and medicinal properties.
[Obs.]
Shak.
Sir T. Herbert.
4.
A brown color obtained from bitumen. See
Mummy brown
(below).
5.
(Gardening)
A sort of wax used in grafting, etc.
6.
One whose affections and energies are withered.
Mummy brown
,
a brown color, nearly intermediate in tint between burnt umber and raw umber. A pigment of this color is prepared from bitumen, etc., obtained from Egyptian tombs.
–
Mummy wheat
(Bot.)
,
wheat found in the ancient mummy cases of Egypt. No botanist now believes that genuine mummy wheat has been made to germinate in modern times.
–
To beat to a mummy
,
to beat to a senseless mass; to beat soundly.

Mum′my

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Mummied
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Mummying
.]
To embalm; to mummify.

Webster 1828 Edition

Mummy

MUM'MY

, n.
1.
A dead human body embalmed and dried after the Egyptian manner; a name perhaps given to it from the substance used in preserving it. There are two kinds of mummies. The first are bodies dried by the heat of the sun. Such are found in the sands of Libya. The other kind is taken from the catacombs in Egypt.
2.
The name of two substances prepared for medicinal use, which according to Hill are, the one, the dried flesh of human bodies embalmed with myrrh and spice; the other, a liquor running from such mummies when newly prepared, or when affected by great heat and damps. This is preserved in vials, and if suffered to dry, becomes solid. But it is alleged that the first sort consists of pieces of the flesh of executed criminals, or other flesh filled with bitumen and other ingredients. But see the opinion of Chardin, supra.
3.
There are found in Poland natural mummies lying in caverns, supposed to be the remains of persons who in time of war took refuge in caves, but being discovered were suffocated by their enemies. These bodies are dried, with the flesh and skin shrunk almost close to the bones, and are of a blackish color.
4.
Among gardeners, a sort of wax used in grafting and planting trees.
To beat to a mummy, to beat soundly, or to a senseless mass.

Definition 2024

Mummy

Mummy

See also: mummy

English

Proper noun

Mummy

  1. One's mother
    I prefer Mummy when she doesn't shout at me.

See also

mummy

mummy

See also: Mummy

English

An Egyptian mummy (embalmed corpse) at the Musée du Louvre, Paris

Noun

mummy ‎(plural mummies)

  1. (uncountable, medicine, now historical) A substance used in medicine, prepared from mummified flesh. [from 14th c.]
    • 1978, Benjamin Walker, Encyclopedia of Metaphysical Medicine, Routledge 1978, p. 253:
      Yet another scatological medicament was obtained from mummy, the material derived from a dried or embalmed human corpse, the most valuable being that imported from Mizraim (ancient Egypt).
    • 2006, Philip Ball, The Devil's Doctor, Arrow 2007, p. 360:
      Nonetheless, his book advertises many Paracelsian remedies, including laudanum, mummy, antimony and mercury.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Sir T. Herbert to this entry?)
  2. (now rare) A pulp. [from 17th c.]
    • 1837, Mathew Carey, Vindiciae Hibernicae (page 116)
      You may beat them to a mummy, you may put them upon the rack, you may burn them on a gridiron, […] yet you will never remove them from that innate fidelity […]
  3. An embalmed corpse wrapped in linen bandages for burial, especially as practised by the ancient Egyptians. [from 17th c.]
    • 1832, Royal Society (Great Britain), Abstracts of The Papers Printed in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, From 1800 to 1830 inclusive, Volume 1: 1800-1814, page 201,
      […] Mr. Pearson proceeds to give a particular description of the very perfect mummy of an Ibis, which forms the chief subject of the present paper.
    • 2008, Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen,, Mysteries Unwrapped: The Real Monsters, page 2,
      Many people believed in the curse of the mummy, and soon, the curse had become an accepted part of Tut′s legend.
  4. Any naturally preserved human or animal body. [from 18th c.]
  5. (obsolete, horticulture) A sort of wax used in grafting. [18th c.]
  6. (now rare) A brown pigment obtained from bitumen, also called mummy brown. [from 19th c.]
  7. Specifically, a reanimated embalmed human corpse, as a typical character in horror films. [from 20th c.]
    • 2007, S. T. Joshi, Icons of Horror and the Supernatural: An Encyclopedia of Our Worst Nightmares, Volume 1, page 376,
      For many, mummies fascinate more than repel. Our horrific connotations lie not so much with the mummy itself, but in associated fears. The mummy serves, of course, as a general reminder of our own mortality and our fear of death, but this alone is not enough to make it a monster.
Translations
Related terms

Verb

mummy ‎(third-person singular simple present mummies, present participle mummying, simple past and past participle mummied)

  1. (dated, transitive) To mummify.
See also
  • Wikisaurus:corpse

Etymology 2

Diminutive of mum, related to mom and mommy, from mother.

Noun

mummy ‎(plural mummies)

  1. (chiefly Britain, usually childish) A child's term for mother.
    • 1926, John Steinbeck, The Saturday Evening Post, Volume 198, page 9,
      “Oh, mummy, would you like the loveliest daughter-in-law in the world? Oh, mummy, I must marry Flora Dewsley. But I know I am not nearly good enough, mummy. She knows nothing of the world and its wickedness, and I — Well, mummy, at school, a fellow learns everything. And no man is perfect, is he, mummy? […] ”
    • 1927, Harper's Magazine, Volume 155, page 188,
      Meeting mummy after this visit was not exactly easy.
    • 2003, Lionel Shriver, We Need to Talk About Kevin, 2010, unnumbered page,
      “ […] What′s your problem, you little ****? Proud of yourself, for ruining Mummy′s life?” I was careful to use the insipid falsetto the experts commend. “You′ve got Daddy snowed, but Mummy′s got your number. You're a little ****, aren′t you?″
    • 2004, Dennis Child, Psychology and the Teacher, Continuum International Publishing, page 91,
      ‘ […] We have to ask mummy if we can go to Rajah′s mummy′s house (Rajah′s mummy is the owner of the dog). We can if mummy says “yes”. […] ’
    • 2009, Paul Harding, Tinkers, 2010, unnumbered page,
      Darla stared at her father and said, Mummy, Mummy, Mummy!
      Marjorie wheezed and said, Father. You. Are. Filthy!
      Joe said Daddy′s muddy! Daddy′s muddy!
      Darla stared at the darkened doorway where Howard stood, saying, Mummy, Mummy, Mummy, each time a little louder, each time a bit more shrilly, […] .
Alternative forms
Derived terms
Translations

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman mumie, from Middle French momie, from Medieval Latin mumia, from Arabic مُومِيَاء ‎(mūmiyāʾ), from Persian مومیا ‎(mumyā), from موم ‎(mum, “wax”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈmʌmi/
  • Rhymes: -ʌmi

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