Joss

views updated May 21 2018

Joss. An idol; the word is a pidgin corruption of the Portuguese deos, taken back into European languages as a supposed Chinese word. Although it appears in various combinations (e.g. joss-house, a temple), it is most familiar now in ‘joss-stick’, a stick of incense used in temple ceremonies—or simply for its sweet smell.

joss

views updated May 29 2018

joss Chinese idol. XVIII. perh. ult.—Pg. †deos, deus :- L. deus god.

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