Word
missy
Phoneticsmis·sy
US/ˈmɪsi/
UK/mˈɪsi/
Definition
n. a name for a young girl, often used when you are annoyed with her or want to show you have more power. It can sound a bit rude or like you are talking down to her.
n. a term of address for a young girl, frequently carrying a patronising or reprimanding tone. Often used by an adult to assert authority or express irritation.
Examples
“Don't you use that tone of voice with me, little missy.”
“The shopkeeper called out to the girl that she needed to pay for that candy, missy, before she left.”
“While once a neutral diminutive, the term is now predominantly perceived as condescending, often employed in cinematic tropes to signal a character's dismissive attitude toward a younger female's agency.”
Examples
simple
“Don't you use that tone of voice with me, little missy.”
contextual
“The shopkeeper called out to the girl that she needed to pay for that candy, missy, before she left.”
complex
“While once a neutral diminutive, the term is now predominantly perceived as condescending, often employed in cinematic tropes to signal a character's dismissive attitude toward a younger female's agency.”
Usage
Often preceded by the adjective 'little' to emphasize the power imbalance or the speaker's annoyance.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/missy