noun
joss
jos
noun
1
A Chinese religious figure or idol worshipped in a household or temple.
"A small joss stood in the corner of the family altar."
2
Informal: luck.
"He put his win down to pure joss."
name
1
A unisex given name, a nickname for Jocelyn or Joseph.
"Joss is starting a new role at the theatre next month."
How to Use Joss
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA Chinese household idol or, informally, luck; also a unisex nickname.
Common pairings
joss stick
burn joss paper
Word Forms
Jossed past tense, josses plural, Josses plural, Josses singular
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Etymology
From Chinese Pidgin English, itself borrowed from Macau Portuguese, ultimately from the Latin and Portuguese word for "god."