mm-mm

/ˈm.m/

//ˈm.m// intj

"mm-mm" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“mm-mm” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as an interjection. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
5
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - no

Corpus desk

Index EN-mm-mm · mm-mm · English

mm-mm · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MID 5 letters
  • VOW-0 0 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "M" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for mm-mm
PropertyValue
Headwordmm-mm
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechInterjection
IPA/ˈm.m/
Letters5
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “mm-mm” in English

mm-mmranks outside the top 100,000 English headwords, in the long tail of specialist, archaic, or seldom-used vocabulary, exactly the territory where a reader stops mid-sentence to double-check spelling.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

mm-mm is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as aninterjection, transcribed /ˈm.m/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

mm-mm has no tracked misspelling variants, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: Nasalized form of uh-uh (negative) or uh-huh (positive), ultimately onomatopoeic; see fuller etymology there. Compare um, hem (expression of hesitation). The correct English form is mm-mm, spelled M-M---M-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    no
  2. 2
    yes

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how mm-mm appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. "Need some help?" She shook her head. “Mm-mm.”
  2. “Mm-mm,” I mumble, shaking my head.

Etymology

Nasalized form of uh-uh (negative) or uh-huh (positive), ultimately onomatopoeic; see fuller etymology there. Compare um, hem (expression of hesitation).

Synonyms

Antonyms

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "mm-mm"?
"mm-mm" is spelled M-M---M-M. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈm.m/.
What does "mm-mm" mean?
As an interjection, "mm-mm" means: no
How do you pronounce "mm-mm"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "mm-mm" is /ˈm.m/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "mm-mm"?
Nasalized form of uh-uh (negative) or uh-huh (positive), ultimately onomatopoeic; see fuller etymology there. Compare um, hem (expression of hesitation). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list