joss








noun

  1. a Chinese house idol or cult image.

noun British, Australian Informal.

  1. a foreman or boss.

noun

  1. a Chinese deity worshipped in the form of an idol
n.

“Chinese figure of a deity,” 1711, from Chinese Pidgin English, from Javanese dejos, taken 16c. from Portuguese deus “god,” from Latin deus (see Zeus). Colloquially, it came to mean “luck.” Joss stick “Chinese incense” first recorded 1883.

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