mummy

The word “mummy” means a dead body preserved through embalming and wrapping, especially as practised in ancient Egypt. In plain terms, either an embalmed body preserved long-term, or (informally) mother.

“Mummy” is pronounced MUHM-ee (/ˈmʌm.i/ in IPA).

Here is “mummy” used in a sentence: “The museum's star exhibit is a 3,000-year-old mummy.”

“Mummy” is a noun.

The word “mummy” comes from Medieval Latin. From Arabic mūmiyāʔ via Persian mumyā ("wax"), passing through Medieval Latin and French into English.

“Mummy” is an uncommon word in modern English.

“Mummy” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a dead body preserved through embalming and wrapping, especially as practised in ancient Egypt.

Mummy as a British word for mother is used affectionately by or to young children, similar to "mommy" in American English, and has nothing to do with the other sense. Mummy meaning an embalmed body refers to a corpse preserved through wrapping and embalming, especially as practiced in ancient Egypt; the two meanings are unrelated homonyms.

Mummy is the British word for mother, especially as used by or to young children, while American English typically uses "mommy" in the equivalent context. Both are informal, affectionate childhood terms for a mother.

A mummy is a dead body preserved through embalming and wrapping, a practice especially associated with ancient Egypt, where remains were treated and wound in cloth to prevent decay. This preservation process is what distinguishes a mummy from an ordinary buried corpse.