Issei
or is·sei
[ ees-sey ]
/ ˈisˈseɪ /
noun, plural Is·sei or is·sei.
a Japanese person who immigrated to the U.S. or Canada after 1907 and was not eligible until 1952 for citizenship.
any Japanese immigrant to the U.S.
Origin of Issei
1935–40; < Japanese, equivalent to
is first +
sei generation (earlier
it-sei, it-seĩ < Middle Chinese, equivalent to Chinese
yì one +
shēng birth)