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momia

moh-mee-ah/ˈmomja/

“momia” means “mummy” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

mummy

Also: preserved remains
NounfA2
A classic ancient mummy wrapped in white bandages standing in front of a stone wall.

📝 In Action

La momia de Tutankamón está en Egipto.

A1

Tutankhamun's mummy is in Egypt.

Los arqueólogos encontraron una momia muy antigua en la cueva.

B1

The archaeologists found a very old mummy in the cave.

Me disfracé de momia para la fiesta de Halloween.

A2

I dressed up as a mummy for the Halloween party.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • cadáver (corpse)

Common Collocations

  • momia egipcia – Egyptian mummy
  • vendar a una momia – to wrap a mummy in bandages
  • sarcófago – sarcophagus

old fogey

Also: stick-in-the-mud
NounfB2informal
Chile
An elderly person wearing very outdated clothes from a past century sitting in a large wooden chair.

📝 In Action

¡No seas una momia y ven a bailar!

B1

Don't be such a stick-in-the-mud and come dance!

Ese profesor es una momia, siempre cuenta las mismas historias.

B2

That teacher is an old fogey; he always tells the same stories.

Mi hermano se queda en el sofá como una momia todo el domingo.

B1

My brother stays on the couch like a statue/mummy all Sunday.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • quedarse como una momia – to sit still like a statue
  • ser una momia – to be very old-fashioned or boring

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "momia" in Spanish:

mummy→old fogey→preserved remains→stick-in-the-mud→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: momia

Question 1 of 3

If you are talking about the mummy of an ancient King, what do you say?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
momificar(to mummify) — Verb
momificación(mummification) — Noun
momificado(mummified) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
comíadíaeconomía
📚 Etymology▼

From the Arabic word 'mūmiyā', which originally meant 'bitumen' (a black, sticky substance used in the embalming process). The word eventually came to describe the body itself.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: mummyFrench: momieItalian: mummia

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'momia' an offensive word?

When used for ancient remains, no. When used for a person, it's informal and can be slightly insulting, similar to 'old fogey' or 'fossil' in English.

Does 'momia' have anything to do with 'mamá'?

No. Although they sound similar, 'momia' comes from an Arabic word for wax/bitumen, while 'mamá' comes from Latin.

How do I say 'The Mummy movie'?

You would say 'La película de La Momia'.