Empress
Also spelled: Empres
Meaning
A term of honour for a woman, especially a wife or partner, used within Rastafari culture to convey deep respect and to elevate her status as royalty rather than merely a girlfriend or wife.
Examples
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“Mi Empress a cook ital fi di whole a wi.”
My Empress is cooking ital food for all of us.
'a cook' uses 'a' as the continuous marker; 'Empress' here means the speaker's partner.
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“Respect to every Empress out deh.”
Respect to every woman out there.
Used as a collective address to women in a Rasta or conscious context.
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“Him treat him Empress like queen fi true.”
He treats his woman like a queen indeed.
'fi true' means truly; note there is no copula before the comparison.
Origin
From English 'empress', the female counterpart of emperor, adopted into Rastafari livity as a way of crowning Black womanhood with royal dignity, echoing reverence for Empress Menen of Ethiopia.
How it's used
Primarily Rastafari and conscious speech. It is respectful and affectionate; using it mockingly would undercut its dignity. The male equivalent is 'King' or 'Kingman'.