Sino-Caucasian etymology :

Proto-Sino-Caucasian: *mǝ̄́mV

Meaning: breast, teat

North Caucasian: *mǝ̄mV

Yenisseian: *maʔm

Burushaski: *mamu

Basque: *mamin

Comments and references : SCE 93.

North Caucasian etymology :

Proto-North Caucasian: *mǝ̄mV

Sino-Caucasian etymology: Sino-Caucasian etymology

Meaning: teat, nipple; pimple

Proto-Nakh: *mām-aḳ

Proto-Tsezian: *momV-la

Proto-Dargwa: *mama

Proto-Lezghian: *mam(a)

Notes: One of the reduplicated "children's" words; seems, however, to be well reconstructable for PEC.

Nakh etymology :

Proto-Nakh: *mām-aḳ

North Caucasian etymology: North Caucasian etymology

Meaning: female breast

Chechen: māmag

Comments: An isolated Chech. word (with a diminutive suffix); although it is a "children's word", it has direct parallels in other EC languages.

Tsezian etymology :

Proto-Tsezian: *momV-la

North Caucasian etymology: North Caucasian etymology

Meaning: pimple

Bezhta: momola

Gunzib: momla

Comments: PGB *momo-la.

Dargwa etymology :

Proto-Dargwa: *mama

North Caucasian etymology: North Caucasian etymology

Meaning: breast (fem.), teat

Akusha: mama

Comments: Cf. also Muir. mama id.

Lezghian etymology :

Proto-Lezghian: *mam(a)

North Caucasian etymology: North Caucasian etymology

Meaning: breast (female)

Lezghian: mam

Kryz: mäm

Budukh: mǝm

Archi: mam

Comment: 3d class in Arch., Kryz. and Bud. See Лексика 1971, 108; Талибов 1980, 270.

Yenisseian etymology :

Proto-Yenisseian: *maʔm

Sino-Caucasian etymology: Sino-Caucasian etymology

Meaning: breast (female)

Ket: maʔm, pl. mamn⁵ ; mamǝt⁵ "to suck breast"

Yug: maʔm, pl. mamn⁵; mamǝt⁵ "to suck breast"

Comments: ССЕ 244. Werner 2, 19.

Burushaski etymology :

Common Burushaski: *mamu

Sino-Caucasian Etymology: Sino-Caucasian Etymology

Meaning: 1 female breast 2 milk

Yasin: -mámu 1, mamú 2

Hunza: -mámut 1, mamú 2

Nagar: -mámut 1, mamú 2

Basque etymology :

Proto-Basque: *mami(n), mamul

Sino-Caucasian etymology: Sino-Caucasian etymology

Meaning: 1 flesh (soft and tender part of bread, fruit, meat, fish) 2 pith, starchy part (of plants) 3 intimate (friend)

Bizkaian: mamin 1, 3

Gipuzkoan: mami 1, 3

High Navarrese: mami 1, 2

Low Navarrese: mami 1, mamul 1

Salazarese: mamola 1

Lapurdian: mami 1, (Ainhoa) mamul 1

Baztanese: mami 3

Zuberoan: mami 1

Roncalese: mami 1, mamul 1

Comments: The supposed derivation from French m'ami 'my friend' (Trask 1997) is fanciful and anachronistic, though it may have influenced meaning 3. In our analysis this is a very old expressive word, found in many languages (Lat. mamma, etc.).

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