different between prudent vs mum

English

Etymology

From Middle English prudent, from Old French prudent, from Latin pr?d?ns, contracted from pr?vid?ns (“foresight”) (English providence), the past participle of pr?vide? (“I forsee”). Unrelated to prude.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?p?u?d?nt/

Adjective

prudent (comparative more prudent, superlative most prudent)

1. Sagacious in adapting means to ends; circumspect in action, or in determining any line of conduct.

   Synonyms: careful, considerate, discreet; see also Thesaurus:cautious

   • 1643, John Milton, Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce

     Moses established a grave and prudent law.

2. Practically wise, judicious, shrewd.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:wise

3. Frugal, economical.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:frugal

   Antonym: extravagant

Antonyms

• imprudent

Derived terms

• prudence
• prudently

Related terms

• jurisprudence
• prudence
• prudential
• provident

Translations

Anagrams

• prunted, uptrend

Catalan

Etymology

From Latin pr?d?ns.

Adjective

prudent (masculine and feminine plural prudents)

1. prudent

Derived terms

• prudentment

Related terms

• prudència

Further reading

• “prudent” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “prudent” in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana.
• “prudent” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “prudent” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin pr?d?ns, pr?d?ntem.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p?y.d??/

Adjective

prudent (feminine singular prudente, masculine plural prudents, feminine plural prudentes)

1. prudent, careful, cautious

Antonyms

• imprudent

Related terms

• prudence

Further reading

• “prudent” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French prudent.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pru?dent/

Adjective

prudent m or n (feminine singular prudent?, masculine plural pruden?i, feminine and neuter plural prudente)

1. prudent, careful, cautious

Declension

Synonyms

• precaut, atent, îngrijit

Related terms

• pruden??

English

Alternative forms

• mam
• mom, Mom (US)
• Mum

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /m?m/
• Rhymes: -?m

Etymology 1

Alternative form of mam, or an abbreviation of mummy. Compare mom, mama.

Noun

mum (plural mums)

1. (Britain, Australia, New England, Canada, informal) Mother.
   • 1993, Hilda Hollingsworth, Places of Greater Safety, Zenobia Press edition, page 278,

     'Ooh Mum, Auntie don?t allow smokin’ - Pat?s eyes were round with awe as Mum struck a match.

   • 2004, Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Patty Hansen, Irene Dunlap, Chicken Soup for the Preteen Soul 2, page 336,

     Her mum says that she is deaf and only partially sighted, so I need to go and stand in front of her, so she can see the gift.

   • 2006, Kathryn Lasky, Guardians of Ga'Hoole, Book 11: To Be a King, page 88,

     “Mum! Mum!” he shouted out. The laughter stopped. Two bright, sparkling yellow eyes peeped from the hollow. Atop her head were the fluffy ear tufts that his mum was so proud of because they were fuller and lovelier than those of most Great Horned Owls. It was indeed his mum!

   • 2011, Chyna, FAM: Rolling in a London Girl Gang, unnumbered page,

     He?s looking at my mum, at her swollen eyes, busted nose and bloodied lips. She?s mashed up something chronic, and the man who did this to her is my dad.

2. (dated, colloquial) ma'am; a term of respect for an older woman.
   • 1840, Charles Dickens, Master Humphrey's Clock, Volume 1, 1851, page 130,

     “Wy, mum,” said Mr. Weller, “I don?t think you?ll see a many sich, and that?s the truth. But if my son Samivel vould give me my vay, mum, and dis-pense with his—might I wenter to say the vurd?”

     “What word Mr Weller?” said the housekeeper, blushing slightly.

     “Petticuts, mum,” returned that gentleman, laying his had upon the garments of his grandson. “If my son Samivel vould only dis-pense vith these here, you?d see sich a alteration in his appearance, as the imagination can?t depicter!”

   • 1885, Mark Twain, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, 2011, unnumbered page,

     Then she took off the hank and looked me straight in the face, and very pleasant, and says:

     “Come, now, what?s your real name?

     “Wh — what, mum?”

     “What?s your real name? Is it Bill, or Tom, or Bob? — Or what is it?”

Usage notes

Mum is only capitalized when used as a proper noun:

• I don't think Mum will like you.
• I don't think my mum will like you.
• In New England, the word may still be spelt "mom", but it will have the pronunciation of "mum".

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:mother

Translations

Etymology 2

Abbreviation of chrysanthemum.

Noun

mum (plural mums)

1. A chrysanthemum.

Etymology 3

From Middle English mum or mom (“silent”), reminiscent of the sound made when gagged or with a hand over one's mouth. Perhaps related to dated German Mumme (“mask”).

Alternative forms

• (verb): mumm (archaic)

Adjective

mum (not comparable)

1. (colloquial) Silent.
2. (colloquial) Secret.

Derived terms

• keep mum
• mum's the word

Interjection

mum!

1. stop speaking!, stop talking!, hush!

Verb

mum (third-person singular simple present mums, present participle mumming, simple past and past participle mummed)

1. To act in a pantomime or dumb show.

Noun

mum (uncountable)

1. (obsolete) silence

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Hudibras to this entry?)

Etymology 4

German Mumme, named after Christian Mumme, who first brewed it in 1492.

Noun

mum (uncountable)

1. A type of strong beer, originally made in Brunswick, Germany.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Addison to this entry?)

Anagrams

• MMU, umm

Abinomn

Noun

mum

1. eeltail catfish

Forak

Noun

mum

1. breast

Further reading

• John Carter, Katie Carter, John Grummitt, Bonnie MacKenzie, Janell Masters, A Sociolinguistic Survey of the Mur Village Vernaculars (2012)

Turkish

Etymology

From Persian ???? (mum).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mum/

Noun

mum (definite accusative mumu, plural mumlar)

1. candle

Declension

Derived terms

• mumluk

Zazaki

Noun

mum

1. candle