memsous ممسوس
Tunisian Derja · adjective
“memsous” (ممسوس) is an adjective in Tunisian Derja meaning possessed, inhabited by a jinn.
Meanings
- possessed, inhabited by a jinn
- a bit disturbed, strange
Usage
Memsous describes a person believed to be touched or inhabited by a jinn, in folk beliefs. It comes up regarding strange behavior, unexplained crises, or recourse to ruqya. In casual conversation, the word is also used, often jokingly, for someone acting oddly or excessively. It's close to mahboul, but with an idea of a supernatural cause. The word can hurt when aimed at someone suffering from a real disorder. The feminine is memsousa.
Example
يقولو عليه ممسوس، ساعات يحكي وحدو.
y9oulou 3lih memsous, se3at ye7ki we7dou.
“They say he's possessed; sometimes he talks to himself.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “memsous” but also “mamsous”, “memssous” and “mamsus”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.