massa

plural massas · alternative Massa

1. pronunciation spellingchiefly African-American Vernacular or CaribbeanPronunciation spelling of master.

   At another dinner, the president, on the removal of the cloth, rose and said... We will conduct weself in sich a manner, dat massa will neber be sorry for what him do dis night.

   1834 September 27, Anonymous, "West Indies: Spanish Town, Aug. 2, 1834", Niles' Weekly Register, Vol. XLVII (Vol. XI, 4th Ser.), p. 58

   1 more example

   "All well, Massa Challenger, all well!" he cried. "Me stay here. No fear. You always find me when you want." His honest black face, and the immense view before us, which carried us half-way back to the affluent of the Amazon, helped us to remember that we really were upon this earth in the twentieth century, and had not by some magic been conveyed to some raw planet in its earliest and wildest state.

   1912, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Lost World […], London; New York, N.Y.: Hodder and Stoughton, →OCLC

plural Massas

1. uncountableA town in Tuscany, Italy.
2. countableA surname.

alternative Masa

1. pluralplural onlyA Chadic ethnic group in Cameroon and Chad.

alternative Masa

1. A Chadic language spoken by the Massa people.

plural Massas

1. chiefly African-American Vernacular or CaribbeanAlternative letter-case form of massa, master, particularly as a form of address.

   "I wanted to speak to you about Miss Merze, Rhoda." "Yes, Massa Fred."

   1889, Marah Ellis Ryan, Merze..., page 110

   1 more example

   Officer.—"What is the numerical strength of the enemy in our front?" Intelligent Contraband.—"Eh, Massa?" O.—"How many men has the Confederate General Blank?" I. C.—"'Bout forty-leben thousan', Massa." O.—"Don't you mean about four thousand?" I. C.—"Yes, Massa; dar's 'bout four hundred ob 'em."

   1885 March 18, "W.", "A War Article", Puck, Vol. XVII, No. 419, p. 45