WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
Is•sei
(ēs′sā′),USA pronunciation n., pl. -sei.
- Language Varietiesa Japanese who immigrated to the U.S. or Canada after 1907 and was not eligible until 1952 for citizenship.
- Language Varietiesany Japanese immigrant to the U.S.
- Middle Chinese, equivalent. to Chinese yì one + shēng birth)
- Japanese, equivalent. to is first + sei generation (earlier it-sei, it-seĩ
- 1935–40
'Issei' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):