memsahib

[mem-sahb, mem-sah-ib, ‐hib, ‐heeb]

noun

1. (formerly, in India) a term of respect for a married European woman.

memsahib

/ -hɪb, ˈmɛmˌsɑːɪb /

noun

1. (formerly in India) a term of respect used of a European married woman

Word History and Origins

Origin of memsahib¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of memsahib¹

C19: from _ma'am + _sahib

Example Sentences

Equally no English artist would have thought of painting the bark of that cross section the same brilliant yellow as the oriole; the tentative washes of a memsahib's watercolour are a world away.

From BBC

I pretended to know what a memsahib is.

From Literature

Both look rather like memsahibs, or the children of memsahibs, themselves.

From The Guardian

Equally, no English artist would have managed the brilliantly bright colours used by Impey’s artists: the tentative washes of a memsahib’s watercolour are a world away.

From The Guardian

Paula McLain’s new novel, “Circling the Sun,” is a throwback to that old Africa — the one that belonged to the British — where house boys wear white gloves and serve tea to memsahib.

From Washington Post