mazuma: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very Low (archaic slang)Informal / Slang / Humorous / Archaic
Quick answer
What does “mazuma” mean?
Money.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Money; cash.
Slang for currency, particularly ready cash or money in general, often used humorously or archaically.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is historically and primarily American in origin. British usage, if any, would be extremely rare and likely only in contexts aware of American slang.
Connotations
In American usage, it is a dated slang term. In any potential British usage, it would likely be perceived as an Americanism.
Frequency
Essentially non-existent in contemporary UK English. Extremely rare in modern US English, found mainly in historical contexts, period pieces, or for deliberate stylistic/humorous effect.
Grammar
How to Use “mazuma” in a Sentence
Have + mazumaNeed + mazumaBe + short of + mazumaVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Virtually never used, except perhaps in linguistic or historical studies of slang.
Everyday
Rare and humorous; used to sound old-timey or quirky.
Technical
Not used.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “mazuma”
- Using it in formal contexts.
- Believing it is contemporary, common slang.
- Attempting to use it as a countable noun (e.g., 'three mazumas').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is a real, albeit archaic and informal, slang term for money, originating in American English in the late 19th/early 20th century, likely from Yiddish.
No. It is informal, slang, and archaic. Using it in a formal academic context would be highly inappropriate and would negatively impact your lexical resource score.
'Money' is the standard, neutral term. 'Mazuma' is a non-standard, informal, and dated slang synonym. Using 'mazuma' is a stylistic choice to sound humorous or period-specific.
Extremely rarely. Its use is mostly confined to deliberate attempts to sound old-fashioned, humorous, or in references to historical periods (e.g., in films, books). Most younger native speakers would not know the word.
Money.
Mazuma is usually informal / slang / humorous / archaic in register.
Mazuma: in British English it is pronounced /məˈzuːmə/, and in American English it is pronounced /məˈzuːmə/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a 'maze' you need money to get out of. "I need MAZUMA to navigate the MAZE of bills!"
Conceptual Metaphor
MONEY IS A TANGIBLE COMMODITY (like a physical substance you can have in your pocket).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the word 'mazuma' be LEAST appropriate?