# mummy

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈmʌm.i/ · frequency rank #13,567

## Definitions
1. An embalmed human or non-human animal corpse wrapped in linen bandages for burial, especially as practised by the ancient Egyptians and some Native American tribes.
2. A reanimated embalmed human corpse, as a stock character in horror films.
3. Any naturally preserved human or non-human animal body.
4. Any naturally preserved human or non-human animal body.
(countable, uncountable, now rare) A brown pigment originally prepared from the ground-up remains of Egyptian animal or human mummies mixed with bitumen, etc.
5. A pulp.
6. A substance used in medicine, prepared from mummified flesh.
7. A sort of wax used in grafting.

## Etymology
From Middle English mummie, from Anglo-Norman mumie, from Middle French momie, from Medieval Latin mumia, from Arabic مُومِيَاء (mūmiyāʔ), from Persian مومیا (mumyâ), from موم (mum, “wax”). Doublet of mumijo.

## Easily confused with
- **mums** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mummy-vs-mums)
- **murky** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mummy-vs-murky)
- **mushy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mummy-vs-mushy)
- **musty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mummy-vs-musty)
- **mumps** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mummy-vs-mumps)
- **Mundy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mummy-vs-mundy)
- **mum** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mum-vs-mummy)
- **mmm** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mmm-vs-mummy)
- **mmmm** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mmmm-vs-mummy)
- **Muay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/muay-vs-mummy)
- **mommy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mommy-vs-mummy)
- **muddy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/muddy-vs-mummy)
- **momma** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/momma-vs-mummy)
- **mamma** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mamma-vs-mummy)
- **mammy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mammy-vs-mummy)

## Common misspellings (6)
`mmummy`, `mmumy`, `mummyy`, `mumy`, `mumym`, `ummmy`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/mummy