Memsahib
मेमसाहिब
MEM-sah-hib
Respectful Indian English term of address for a European or upper-class lady — historically colonial.
Meaning & usage
Memsahib (from "madam" + the honorific "sahib") was the standard form of address for a European woman in colonial India, used by Indian staff and servants. The form is now mostly historical and appears in literature and film about the Raj era; in contemporary usage it can be ironic or affectionate. Compare the masculine "sahib" (still used informally) and the diminutive "missy" for an unmarried European girl.
In a sentence
The memsahib of the bungalow ran a strict household.
Common spelling variants
- Mem-sahib
- Memsaab
Memsahib is the canonical English spelling used in MG Mini puzzles.