mamma mia
Surprise in Italian
Mamma mia is an Italian exclamation—literally "my mother"—used to express surprise, dismay, or exasperation.
It functions much like "oh my God" or "good grief" in English: Mamma mia, what a mess!
The phrase gained wider English use through Italian-American communities and later through the ABBA song and musical of the same name.
- ABBASwedish disco-era pop group
- wowCry of amazement
- oh my goodnessWholesome astonishment phrase
- amoreLove, in Italian
- oh noExclamation of alarm
Meryl Streep · Greece · Pierce Brosnan · bambino · musical theater · jukebox musicals · dolce vita · goodness gracious · holy moly · Broadway productions · papa · heavens above · take a chance · oh dear · yikes · blimey · whoa · Swedish pop
mamma miasilence
Total lack of sound
poker face · no comment · deadpan · understated · measured response
mamma miaof course
Expression of obvious agreement
obviously · naturally · as expected · predictably · I knew it
mama, mummy, mammal, mommy, momma, mamma, mammalian, mammary, mammogram