Ama

//ˈɑː.mə// name, noun, phrase, prep_phrase, slang

Definitions

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    Initialism of American Medical Association. US, abbreviation, alt-of, initialism

    "“While there is still time, we urge Florida to reconsider this change to help prevent a rise of infectious disease outbreaks that put health and lives at risk,” said Dr. Sandra Adamson Fryhofer, an AMA trustee."

  2. 2
    A language of Papua New Guinea.
  3. 3
    Initialism of Alberta Motor Association. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
  4. 4
    A Nilo-Saharan language of Sudan.
  5. 5
    Initialism of Australian Medical Association. Australia, abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
Show 2 more definitions
  1. 6
    A female given name.
  2. 7
    Initialism of American Motorcyclist Association. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
Noun
  1. 1
    Alternative spelling of amah. alt-of, alternative

    "Not only does the baby have a jewel then, or some handsome gift, but his ama (nurse) is remembered with a bright gold doubloon (sixteen dollars)."

  2. 2
    A traditional Japanese pearl diver, usually female, who mainly dives for seafood, typically without any tool for breathing.
  3. 3
    The float on the outrigger of a proa or trimaran.
  4. 4
    A toxic byproduct of improper or incomplete digestion. countable, uncountable
  5. 5
    Fabric made from the hair of a camel or goat.
Show 3 more definitions
  1. 6
    paternal grandmother; paternal grandma Philippines, colloquial

    ""Perhaps," her grandmother had said. She was nearing death at that point, Mia's ama. Her body was wracked with arthritis, rheumatism, Parkinson's, osteoporosis and more. The maids said she was crazy with pain, and perhaps too far gone to even think properly."

  2. 7
    Initialism of ask me anything. Internet, abbreviation, alt-of, initialism

    "We did this after the company abruptly terminated Victoria Taylor, a Reddit employee who worked extensively with us as well as with other moderator teams on facilitating A.M.A.s. […] When the company removed her without warning or providing alternative resources, it effectively hindered every community that hosts the wildly popular A.M.A.s that have made Reddit a part of the mainstream media conversation. […] We received news of Ms. Taylor’s termination in a chaotic way: Someone who was scheduled to conduct an A.M.A. flew to New York to visit the Reddit office and discovered a canceled appointment and no backup support."

  3. 8
    term of address for one's paternal grandmother Philippines, colloquial

    "There would always be some food offerrings there, and every morning, Amma would burn some incense. More elaborate offerings were made on the anniversaries of his birth and death, and the Chinese festivals for the dead such as Qingming in April and the Hungry Ghosts on the seventh lunar month."

Phrase
  1. 1
    Initialism of ask me anything: usually attached to the end of a prompt in an “ask me anything” interview session. Internet, abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
Prep_phrase
  1. 1
    Alternative form of AMA (“against medical advice”). alt-of, alternative
  2. 2
    Initialism of against medical advice. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Portuguese ama (“female nurse”), from Medieval Latin amma (“wet nurse, amma”), perhaps an alteration of mamma, of imitative origin, or from Ancient Greek.

Etymology 2

From Japanese あま.

Etymology 3

From Polynesian.

Etymology 4

From Sanskrit अम (ama, “disease”).

Etymology 5

Unknown.

Etymology 6

From Hokkien 阿媽 /阿妈 (a-má, “paternal grandmother”). See also Hokkien 俺媽 /俺妈 (án-má), Portuguese Templo de A-Má.

Etymology 7

Initialism.

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