mae
word
Definition
A mae is a mother. This spelling is usually not standard modern English; learners will most often see it as a name, a typo for 'ma'am' or 'May', or a form from another language.
Usage & Nuances
Use with caution: in standard English, mae is uncommon as a normal vocabulary word. It may appear as a female given name, and in some contexts it comes from another language, such as Portuguese 'mãe'. Don't assume native English speakers will recognize it as the everyday word for 'mother'.
Example Sentences
Mae is an old-fashioned word for mother in some texts.
basic
Her name is Mae.
basic
I saw mae in the sentence, but I was not sure what it meant.
basic
At first I thought Mae was a typo, but it was actually her first name.
natural
If you write mae in English, some people may not understand that you mean 'mother'.
natural
I only recognized mãe because my Brazilian friend says it all the time, not because of English class.
natural