small mississy

Chinese Pidgin English

Etymology

Calque of Chinese 小老婆 (literally “small wife”), using English small +‎ mississy, the latter itself from English missus +‎ English -sy.

Noun

small mississy

  1. concubine

References
  • Gow, W. S. P. (1924) Gow’s Guide to Shanghai, 1924: A Complete, Concise and Accurate Handbook of the City and District, Especially Compiled for the Use of Tourists and Commercial Visitors to the Far East, Shanghai, page 109: “Waife, waifee: wife or mississy. Number one mississy; Number two mississy, etc., Small mississy: concubine (Lunde).”
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