Meaning
An affectionate word for one's mother — and, more broadly, for any woman seen as a maternal, nurturing figure in the family or the community. Warmer and more tender than the neutral English 'mother', 'mumma' carries deep love and respect, and it can honour a beloved grandmother, aunt, or older woman who mothers those around her. It sits with 'maama', 'big-mumma', and 'puppa' in the warm Jamaican vocabulary of family, naming the mother and the mothering spirit with real fondness.
Examples
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Mi a go check mi mumma dis evenin.
I'm going to visit my mother this evening.
'A go' marks intention/future; 'check' here means to visit.
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Mumma seh mi fi come home before dark.
Mum said I must come home before dark.
'Fi' introduces the obligation, like 'to/should'.
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She a real mumma to di whole yaad.
She is a real mother figure to the whole household.
Used figuratively for a nurturing woman, not a literal parent.
Origin
From English 'mama/mother', with reduplicated baby-talk form common across many languages; reinforced by West African patterns of affectionate kinship terms.
How it’s used
Everyday and warm. Used by children and adults alike. 'Big Mumma' can also refer respectfully to a large, senior woman. Not vulgar, though tone can make it teasing.