Slangora

MA

MA is the US television content rating for Mature Audiences — the highest tier in the TV ratings system, meaning the content is intended only for adults and may be unsuitable for viewers under 17.

/mˈɑ/Documented since 1990s1990sGen Zhistorical192 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🗺️ Regional & Other
2 definitions
Community

Etymology timeline

Born ~1997 · no dated citations yet
1997BornToday, 2026
Millennial / early-internet eraSee decade cohort →

Definitions

#1·Apr 28, 2026

MA is the US television content rating for Mature Audiences — the highest tier in the TV ratings system, meaning the content is intended only for adults and may be unsuitable for viewers under 17. You'll see it in the corner of the screen before shows with strong language, graphic violence, or explicit sexual content. It's the TV equivalent of an R-rated film.

Origin: Abbreviation of Mature Audiences; part of the US TV Parental Guidelines system established in 1997. Editorial expansion authored on Slangora.
For parents

"MA" means: MA is the US television content rating for Mature Audiences — the highest tier in the TV ratings system, meaning the content is intended onl.... The term has a sexual reference, so parents may want to know the context in which a child uses or hears it. In most cases it is part of normal teenage curiosity rather than a concrete worry. A short, non-judgemental conversation about consent, respect and online safety is usually the best response. Look at the wider pattern of behaviour, not the one word.

For ESL learners

"MA" means: MA is the US television content rating for Mature Audiences — the highest tier in the TV ratings system, meaning the content is intended onl.... Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. Note the regional or dialect label (US) — usage may sound odd outside that variety. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in

Cluster: happy
Was this helpful?

Comments

#2·Apr 27, 2026

(US, TV) , a television rating.

Was this helpful?

Comments

For specific readers

"MA" means: MA is the US television content rating for Mature Audiences — the highest tier in the TV ratings system, meaning the content is intended onl.... The term has a sexual reference, so parents may want to know the context in which a child uses or hears it. In most cases it is part of normal teenage curiosity rather than a concrete worry. A short, non-judgemental conversation about consent, respect and online safety is usually the best response. Look at the wider pattern of behaviour, not the one word.

Why is this section here?

Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.

Have a better definition?

Add your own interpretation of "MA".

Add definition

🗺️About Regional & Other slang

Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.

See all Regional & Other slang on Slangora.

Tags

Other words near "MA" (M)

Browse all slang words starting with M.

Related terms

People also read

Semantically related