ang moh, n. and adj.
Inflections:
Plural ang mohs, unchanged.
Forms:
19– ang mo, 19– ang moh. (Show Less)
Origin: A borrowing from Chinese. Etymon: Chinese âng mo·.
Etymology: < Chinese (Hokkien) âng mo· red hair, redhead, person of Western descent < âng red + mo· hair.
Singapore English.
A. n.
A light-skinned person, esp. of Western origin or descent; a Caucasian.
1899 Singapore Free Press 26 Jan. 3/1
Permit thy humble servant to approach thee by the way of my friend Tan Tan Tiam, who knoweth the Ang Moh's speech, and kindly consenteth to write to him.
1979 Monthly Film Bull.
(Brit. Film Inst.)
Jan. 200/1
The local underworld would not take kindly to an ang moh, ‘red head’ or Westerner.
1996 Business Times
(Singapore)
(Nexis)
6 Apr.
Tanglin and Holland Road were where the ang mohs lived.
2003 N. Humphreys Scribbles from Same Island
(2008)
19
Most local women don't realise that these ang mohs are your average Joe in England.
1899—2003(Hide quotations)
B. adj.
Light-skinned, Caucasian; Western in behaviour.
1947 Straits Times
(Singapore)
21 June 8/2
I..saw this Asiatic salesgirl serving one ‘Ang Moh’ customer.
2012 T. E. Tan Garden of Evening Mists x. 139
‘My parents celebrated Chinese New Year, but not the other festivals.’ ‘I'd be surprised if they did. Magnus told me they were very ang-moh.’
2014 Edge
(Singapore)
(Nexis)
1 Mar. 30
A comedy piece about a wedding between a Singaporean and her ang moh boyfriend.
1947—2014(Hide quotations)