Etymology: medieval Latin for Greek ἅμμα a tie, < ἅπτειν to tie.

Etymology: Partly (i) < Hindi ammā mother (and similar forms in related languages; compare Prakrit ammā , Sanskrit ambā ), and perhaps partly also (ii) < similar forms in Dravidian languages (e.g. Tamil ammā ), all ultimately < a pair of syllables characteristic of early infantile vocalization (see mama n.¹; compare Abba n.¹). Compare (with different sense) amah n.Compare post-classical Latin amma , child's word for mother (a636 in Isidore), and Old High German amma (Middle High German amme , German Amme wet nurse), Old Icelandic amma grandmother, as well as nursery words in other languages with the senses ‘mother, grandmother, nurse’. Compare also the foreign-language forms cited at amadan n.