Big mama means: In African American English , 'big mama' is a warm, respectful term for a grandmother - especially the matriarch of a family, someone whose size, authority, and centrality to family life earn the. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.