massa

noun

mas·​sa ˈma-sə 

plural massas

offensive; see usage paragraph below

: master

Usage of Marse and Massa

Historically, massa and marse were used in writing to represent spoken alterations of the word master that were associated especially with the speech of enslaved African Americans, Caribbeans, and Aboriginal Australians. In modern contexts, the word massa is considered offensive, especially when used to imitate stereotypes of Black people or in references to slavery. The use of marse is usually limited to historical contexts and may be considered offensive in modern ones.

Word History

Etymology

by alteration

First Known Use

1766, in the meaning defined above