mamma's boy
Definition
Noun: A boy or man who is perceived as being excessively attached to, dependent on, or influenced by his mother, often to the point of lacking stereotypically masculine independence or interests.
Usage
This term is used to describe a male, typically from childhood into adulthood, whose behavior is seen as overly reliant on his mother's approval, comfort, or direction. It carries a critical or pejorative connotation, implying weakness, a lack of autonomy, or failure to conform to traditional gender roles.
Examples
- He's 30 years old and still calls his mother for advice on everything; he's such a mamma's boy.
- The other kids teased him for being a mamma's boy because he didn't want to go to summer camp.
- She worried that her overprotectiveness would turn her son into a mamma's boy.
Advanced Usage
- The term can be used in psychological or sociological discussions about parenting styles, attachment theory, and cultural norms of masculinity.
- It is sometimes used self-deprecatingly or humorously by men to acknowledge a close relationship with their mother, though the underlying stereotype remains.
Variants and Related Words
- Mama's boy: An alternative, more common spelling.
- Mother's boy: A less common, more formal variant with the same meaning.
Synonyms
- Mollycoddle: A person, especially a man or boy, who is pampered and protected excessively.
- Milksop: An old-fashioned term for an effeminate or cowardly man.
- Crybaby (context-dependent): Can imply similar weakness but is not specific to maternal attachment.
Idioms and Related Phrases
- Tied to his mother's apron strings: An idiom with a very similar meaning, emphasizing a lack of independence from one's mother.
- He can't make a decision without her; he's still tied to his mother's apron strings.
Noun
-
a boy excessively attached to his mother; lacking normal masculine interests
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