1. [Brit, informal] A woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
   "the mum of three children";
   - mother, female parent, ma [informal], mama [informal], mamma [informal], mom [N. Amer, informal], momma [N. Amer, informal], mommy [N. Amer, informal], mammy [informal], mummy [informal], mumma [informal], mam [UK, informal], mater [UK, archaic, informal], supermom [informal]
    
2. [informal] Any of numerous perennial Old World herbs having showy brightly coloured flower heads of the genera Chrysanthemum, Argyranthemum, Dendranthema, Tanacetum; widely cultivated
   "She planted mums for autumn interest";
   - chrysanthemum
    
3. [informal] The flower of a chrysanthemum plant
   "The florist arranged mums in various shades of orange and yellow";
   - chrysanthemum
    
4. Secrecy
   "mum's the word"

1. Failing to speak or communicate etc. when expected to
   "the witness remained mum";
   - silent

1. Perform in a pantomime; act without speaking
   "The actors mummed the entire scene"

Derived forms: mums, mumming, mummed

See also: incommunicative, uncommunicative

Type of: bloom, blossom, flower, parent, secrecy, secretiveness, silence

Part of: aster family, Asteraceae, Compositae, family Asteraceae, family Compositae

Encyclopedia: Mum, Dad, Meet Sam