missus
/ˈmɪsəz
/(also missis)
noun
1 informal A person’s wife: I promised the missus I’d be home by eleven...
- At least I was too ill to be nagged by the missus into doing housework.
- Well I'll put it this way - the missus doesn't expect me before about nine every day anyway, so as long as nothin comes up at closing time, I'm always on!
- I just got in from a day trip with sleepover - hang on, that makes it an overnighter - trip to down south, for fun filled frivolity in Sorrento, and a catch up with the missus.
1.1British informal Used as a form of address to a woman whose name is not known: sit down, missus...
- ‘You'd better watch out, missus,’ I said to Dolly, ‘I feel a pellucid coming on.’
- Well, if that's the way you want it, missus, that's the way it's going to have to be.
- I was surprised, though, when Bridget's head popped up eventually and she said, ‘Welcome back, missus.’
Origin
Late 18th century: representing an informal pronunciation of mistress; compare with Mrs.