mummer

Etymology

From a conflation of "mummer"; one that keeps silent, from mum, ultimately of imitative origin, and Old French momeor, from mommer (“to wear a mask”), from momon (“mask”). Compare German Mumme (“mask”), 16th Century German mummen (“to disguise oneself”), Middle Dutch mommen, mummen (“to go about in a mask, to disguise”), Middle Low Saxon mommen (“to wear a mask, to disguise”), Dutch mom (“mask”) and to mask as well as Spanish momo (“grimace”).

Perhaps both of the conflated terms are from the same ultimate root, as note Middle Low Saxon mummen (“to speak indistinctly, to disguise oneself”), Dutch mommen (“to speak indistinctly”), German mummen (“to speak indistinctly”), mump (“to grimace, to mumble”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈmʌm.ə/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈmʌm.ɚ/

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Noun

mummer (plural mummers)

1. A person who dons a disguising costume, as for a parade or a festival.
2. An actor in a pantomime; one who communicates entirely through gesture and facial expression.