Issei

or is·sei

[ ees-sey ]

noun

, plural Is·sei or is·sei.

1. a Japanese person who immigrated to the U.S. or Canada after 1907 and was not eligible until 1952 for citizenship.
2. any Japanese immigrant to the U.S.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Issei¹

1935–40; < Japanese, equivalent to is first + sei generation (earlier it-sei, it-seĩ < Middle Chinese, equivalent to Chinese yì one + shēng birth)