Mom. Such a simple word, with such a long list of meanings and uses. Look it up in the dictionary and you’ll likely see one definition. But in reality, these three unassuming letters, when put together, transform into a wildly versatile expression. In fact, this tiny word goes beyond the traditional function of noun (Mom: your identity as a parent). Yes, you hear it all day, sometimes Stewie Griffin-style. But trust me when I say there are so many other ways in which this beloved word is used.
Noun
This is the obvious category. You are Mom ― caregiver, hug-giver, protector…snot-wiper, personal chauffeur, human pacifier. The meanest person on the planet. If your kids are really little, they probably don’t even know your real name even exists. You’re just Mom.
Pronoun
Most used by others in reference to you. For instance, when your preschooler asks your husband, “Daddy, what’s a tampon?” and he replies, “Go ask your mother.” Or when your teenaged son’s friends tell him, “Dude, your mom’s a MILF.”
Verb
Yes, you’ve heard of mothering. But “to mother” someone sounds painfully ancient and stuffy. I like the more modern, less-perfect version. As in when I catch a glimpse of my toddler licking the bottom of her Crocs, and I say to my friends “excuse me for a second, I have to go mom.” Or at the end of the day when your hubs wants to snuggle and all you can manage to say is, “Honey, I mom-ed so hard today, the last thing I want is someone touching me.”
Adjective
Maybe you wear mom jeans when you’re on mom duty at a mommy-and-me playdate. There’s lots of things that are described as “mom” once you’re a parent. Are you going to get a mom haircut? Drive a mom car? One of my favorites though are the actions; the behaviors that only moms do. For instance, when you lick your finger to wipe something off your kid’s face, much to the horror of your childless brother who grimaces and says, “Ugh, that was so mom-ish of you.”
Adverb
When someone is acting motherly, it’s generally accepted that he/she is demonstrating tender, love, and care. But the term can also be used for situations that aren’t all butterflies and rainbows. Like when you have to enter your baby’s room in the middle of the night to give her back the binky she dropped on the floor. After, you relay it to your husband like this: “Oh man, I went in there so mom-ly it wasn’t even funny” (read: slowly, quietly, sneakily, without being seen).
Interjection
Best defined as mini exclamations, this use of “mom” can vary based on tone, attitude, and enthusiasm. Here’s just a few: “Mooo-ooom…” (kissing your pre-teen in front of friends at school drop off). “MOMMY!” (your toddler’s way of announcing she’s ready to de-throne the toilet). “Mama!” (the joyous reaction when you get home from a long day of work).
So you see? Mom is so much more than a simple noun. All hail Mom! A word with so much power and practice, it transverses the English language.