mamsir

ma'am +‎ sir

mamsir (plural mamsirs)

1. (Philippines) A respectful term of address to an adult, especially if their name is unknown.

• In Philippine English, often used instead of ma'am or sir, even when the person's gender is unambiguous. Commonly used in the service industry when addressing customers or clients.

• Benitez, Nuria Inez (May 2022) Does ‘x’ Mark The Spot?: Negotiating Filipino/a/x Identities Online in the Philippines and the Diaspora (Thesis), Haverford College, page 31: “An example of this is mamsir/mamser, a portmanteau of “ma’am” and “sir”, said as a single word to address individuals, usually strangers, in the Philippines. Mamsir is used very commonly, even in situations where a person’s gender may be unambiguous, often used instead of “ma’am” or “sir”.”