noun

CMA

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CMA (noun) means Certified Management Accountant: a professional accountancy qualification focused on management accounting, financial planning, analysis and business decision support. Example: “She passed both CMA exams within a year.”

noun

Certified Management Accountant: a professional accountancy qualification focused on management accounting, financial planning, analysis and business decision support.

"She passed both CMA exams within a year."

"The role asks for a CMA or an equivalent accounting qualification."

British In UK usage, the Competition and Markets Authority: the government body that investigates mergers, cartels and anti-competitive behaviour.

"The CMA blocked the takeover on competition grounds."

chiefly American, real estate In estate agency, a comparative market analysis: a valuation report estimating what a property should sell for by comparing it with similar homes recently sold nearby.

"The agent ran a CMA before we agreed a listing price."

How to Use CMA

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishUsually an accounting qualification, or in the UK the competition regulator.

When to use it

Uppercase in all senses. Context makes the meaning clear; spell it out on first use in mixed audiences.

Memory tip

CMA and CIMA are different bodies with similar names and overlapping subject matter. CIMA is the UK-based Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

CPA ACCA CIMA FTC

Common pairings

CMA certification CMA exam the CMA ruled run a CMA

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She passed both _____ exams within a year.

Etymology

An initialism; the expansion depends on context — Certified Management Accountant, Competition and Markets Authority, or comparative market analysis.

Origin: English

Synonyms

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Certified Management Accountant

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a CMA and a CPA?

A CPA (Certified Public Accountant) is licensed for public accounting work such as audit, tax and reporting to outside parties. A CMA specialises in internal management accounting — budgeting, costing, forecasting and helping managers decide. Many accountants hold both.

What does CMA mean in property?

A comparative market analysis: an estate agent's estimate of a home's market value, built from recent sale prices of comparable properties nearby. It is not a formal appraisal and lenders will not accept it in place of one.

Which CMA is meant in British news?

Almost always the Competition and Markets Authority, the UK's competition regulator. If an article mentions mergers, price-fixing or market investigations, that is the CMA in question.