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mãe

Mãe is the Portuguese noun for mother, referring to a female parent. It is used to denote one’s own mother, to address a mother in familiar speech, and more broadly to indicate motherhood or maternal figures in both human and animal contexts. The term also appears as a respectful or affectionate title for women who act in a caregiving or protective role.

Etymology and form: The word derives from Latin mater, through the evolution of the Romance languages. In

Usage and contexts: In everyday language, alguém may say “minha mãe” (my mother) or simply “mãe” when

Cultural and social notes: Across the Portuguese-speaking world, motherhood carries significant social and cultural meaning, shaping

Portuguese
the
form
mãe
shows
nasalization
of
the
a
vowel,
marked
by
the
diacritic
tilde
on
ã.
The
final
e
is
not
typically
stressed
in
pronunciation,
and
the
word
is
usually
monosyllabic
in
speech.
The
plural
form
is
mães.
addressing
a
mother.
The
term
participates
in
various
compounds
and
titles,
such
as
mãe
de
santo
(a
priestess
in
Afro-Brazilian
religions
like
Candomblé
and
Umbanda),
mãe
de
leite
(a
wet
nurse),
and
mãe
de
família
(head
of
a
household).
A
more
intimate
variant
used
with
children
is
mamãe,
while
mame
or
mãe
can
appear
in
formal
or
neutral
contexts.
concepts
such
as
maternidade
(motherhood)
and
parental
responsibilities.
The
word
is
widely
used
in
literature,
media,
and
everyday
life,
reflecting
the
central
role
of
the
figure
of
the
mother
in
family
and
community
life.