memsahib
/ˈmɛmsʌˌhiːb
/ /ˈmɛmsɑːb /noun Indian
A married white or upper-class woman (often used as a respectful form of address by non-whites): ‘Memsahib, what will huzoor desire for dinner?’...
- One of the oldest markets in Bangalore, Russell Market was built around 1927 and its clientele included English memsahibs who were driven in their horse drawn carriages to source their vegetables and meat for their kitchens.
- He would remember himself, and say ‘Salaam, memsahib,’ putting his hands to his forehead, and then take off again, speaking his mixture of Hindi and Tamil, grimacing, gesturing at an invisible audience.
- Perhaps the jewel in the crown, so to speak, of the Central Business District or ‘The Fort’ is the old colonial Army and Navy Store, built in 1889, when Victorian memsahibs with parasols went shopping with their servants.
Origin
From mem (representing an Indian pronunciation of ma'am) + sahib.