Joss

//dʒɒs// name, noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A unisex given name; A diminutive of the female given name Jocelyn.
  2. 2
    A unisex given name; A diminutive of the male given name Joseph.
  3. 3
    A surname.
Noun
  1. 1
    A Chinese household divinity; a Chinese idol. countable
  2. 2
    a Chinese god worshipped in the form of an idol wordnet
  3. 3
    A heathen divinity. countable

    "Don't forget they're mostly just joss-worshipping heathen an' they don't get no kick out of the more classy breeds o' religion. Though I guess there ain't that much diff'rence. It ain't many's so Lord Almighty in theirselves that they don't need a joss of some sort, an' I guess it's what yu think about him matters not the sort o' joss."

  4. 4
    Luck. informal, uncountable

    "She had twisted a piece of heather into her mail box for good joss, and this was the safety signal."

Verb
  1. 1
    To invalidate a fan theory or original element of a fanwork through the introduction of new canon or retconning. slang, transitive

    "Author's note part 2: I'm leaving it to the imagination of the reader what Cordelia saw of her future. Writing that out would be asking to be Jossed."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Chinese Pidgin English joss, from Macau Pidgin Portuguese, from Portuguese deus (“god”), from Latin deus (“god”), from Proto-Indo-European *deywós (“god/that which belongs to heaven”).

Etymology 2

Verb usage evolved from the name of Joss Whedon, creator of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly.

Etymology 3

Verb usage evolved from the name of Joss Whedon, creator of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly.

Next best steps

Mini challenge

Unscramble this word: joss