mammon
C2Formal/Literary/Religious
Definition
Meaning
Riches or wealth, especially when viewed as a false god or an object of excessive devotion.
A personification of material wealth, greed, and avarice as a corrupting influence; the pursuit of material wealth as an ultimate goal.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word originates from the personification of wealth in the New Testament. It is almost always used pejoratively, to imply the worship of money over spiritual or ethical values. It is often capitalised (Mammon) when personified as a false deity.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or pronunciation differences. Usage is similar in both varieties.
Connotations
Both carry strong biblical/religious and moralistic connotations. Slightly more common in UK religious discourse due to its presence in the Book of Common Prayer.
Frequency
Very low frequency in everyday speech in both varieties. Primarily found in religious, literary, rhetorical, or critical texts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Person] worships Mammonthe pursuit of mammonservant/slave of mammonVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “You cannot serve God and Mammon.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. If used, highly critical, e.g., 'Their strategy sacrificed all ethics on the altar of Mammon.'
Academic
Found in theological, literary criticism, cultural studies, and economics texts to critique materialism.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Would be used for deliberate rhetorical or ironic effect.
Technical
Not used in technical contexts.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- [This word is not used as a verb]
American English
- [This word is not used as a verb]
adverb
British English
- [This word is not used as an adverb]
American English
- [This word is not used as an adverb]
adjective
British English
- He railed against the mammon-worshipping culture.
- The play is a critique of mammon-driven society.
American English
- They condemned the Mammon-loving executives.
- It's a mammon-centric worldview.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Money (or mammon) is not the most important thing in life.
- Some people seem to worship mammon more than anything else.
- The novel's villain is a symbol of mammon, sacrificing all human relationships for financial gain.
- Critics accused the government of capitulating to Mammon, prioritising corporate profits over public welfare and environmental protection.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a 'MAMMoth pile of mONEy' – MAMMON – that people worship.
Conceptual Metaphor
WEALTH IS A FALSE GOD / THE PURSUIT OF WEALTH IS A FORM OF IDOLATRY.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with Russian "мамон" (mammoth).
- The direct translation "богатство" loses the key moral/religious connotation of false worship. "Маммона" is the established biblical loanword.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a simple synonym for 'money'.
- Incorrectly capitalising it in non-personified contexts (e.g., 'He cares for mammon').
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best captures the connotation of 'mammon'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is traditionally capitalised (Mammon) when personified as a false god or demon of greed. When used as a general term for wealth, it is often lowercased.
No, it is a rare, literary, and specialised word. Most native speakers understand it, but few use it in everyday conversation.
It comes via Late Latin from Greek 'mamōnas', from Aramaic 'māmōn' meaning 'riches'. It was popularised by its use in the King James Bible (Matthew 6:24: "Ye cannot serve God and mammon.").
Almost never. Its usage is inherently critical, implying that the pursuit of wealth has become an immoral or idolatrous obsession.