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memsahib

American

[mem-sahb, mem-sah-ib, -hib, -heeb] / ˈmɛm sɑb, ˈmɛm sɑ ɪb, -hɪb, -hib /

noun

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

memsahib British

/ ˈmɛmˌsɑːɪb, -hɪb /

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of memsahib

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

memsahib

And would have, if the memsahib hadn’t shot me a glance that said, Dear, why don’t we move on from the heron?

From Forbes ● Jun. 4, 2013

Deborah Kerr is very pukka memsahib, and Barry Nelson displays his boyish charm, though the patina of age has begun to dull it.

From Time Magazine Archive

I pretended to know what a memsahib is.

From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell

I shall probably come round to-night to see you after dinner, Steve, and bring memsahib with me.

From Alice Sit-By-The-Fire by J. M. (James Matthew) Barrie

"And whose memsahib was thy aunt?" said Adam, with the mango stone in his fist.

From The Day's Work - Part 01 by Rudyard Kipling

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023