memsahib

[ mem-sahb; mem-sah-ib, ‐hib, ‐heeb ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

memsahib

/ -hɪb; ˈmɛmˌsɑːɪb /

First recorded in 1855–60; from Hindi, equivalent to mem (from English ma'am ) + sāhib “master” (from Arabic ṣāḥib )

C19: from ma'am + sahib

The Collector's memsahib had gone off with the doctor, leaving her little child to the tender mercies of an ayah!

The nephew does things very shabbily, and I think the Memsahib must help him.

"Memsahib" was heard in every direction, for the arrival of a party of supposedly rich Americans50 had been duly heralded.

It was the strange Memsahib, the khansammah observed to himself.

Had the memsahib been slain, she had at least died in full view of the English—and there was a battle to be won.

April 25, 2024firkin

[fur-kin ]

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