Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a sister.

a.1661		‘A Psalm of Mercy’ in Rump Poems and Songs (1662) ii 196: And Aquila too will have it be so, / And so will my Sister Sis.
1696		D’Urfey Comical Hist. of Don Quixote Pt 3 III i: When Plump Sis got the Ball in her Mutton fist, Once fretted, she’d hit it futher than any.
1856		M. Griffith Autobiog. of a Female Slave 246: She an’ sis had to take in sewin’ to support ’emselves, and me too.
1863		Army Police Record in Annals of the Army of the Cumberland 535: He says you are a great sis.
1892		N. Wales Chron. 2 Jan. 3/5: He was nestling up to Siss to get a little warmth from each other. [...] ‘Sissie, please tell me a tory about muzzer used to tell us’.
1899		Boy’s Own Paper 12 Aug. 729: She’s Johnny Trevor’s sis.
1902		Ade Girl Proposition 50: Each one determined to put in a few quiet Plugs for Sis.
1905		‘Central Connecticut Word-List’ in DN III:i 19: siss, n. Contraction for sister.
1910		O. Johnson Varmint 330: How did you get on with Sis?
1912		A. Berkman Prison Memoirs of an Anarchist (1926) 428: Mary – that’s the sis I got mad at.
1912		A. Brazil Fourth Form Friendship 11: ‘Don’t you remember, he made a picture of it last year?’ ‘So he did, and a jolly good one too. Yours won’t be anything like up to that, Sis!’.
1914		E. Wittmann ‘Clipped Words’ in DN IV:ii 121: sis, from sister. ‘Sis, have you seen my tie?’.
1920		Ade Hand-made Fables 213: She passed the Buck to friend Husband, who handed it on to the First-Born, who tried to wish it on to Sis, who promptly decided that Kid Brother was the Logical Goat.
1927		W. Edge Main Stem 140: Give Sis a kiss for me. Your loving son, Charlie.
1948		C. Day Lewis Otterbury Incident 33: Mister Richards couldn’t do that for your sis.
1956		‘Raymond Thorp’ Viper 73: It was a sad meal that one [...] Sis never said much.
1967		P. Thomas Down These Mean Streets (1970) 143: If I’m a Negro, then you and James is one too. And that ain’t leavin’ out Sis and Poppa.
1968		in J.P. Spradley You Owe Yourself a Drunk (1988) 34: I [...] depended on sis-in-law and nephew.
1975		D. Nobbs Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin (1976) 51: How’s big fat sis?
1999		Guardian Editor 15 Oct. 17: Jude Law’s ‘delirious Giovanni’ [...] has the hots for his sis in John Ford’s classic tale of incest and revenge.
2000		F.X. Toole Rope Burns 89: You’re suckin up to Sis just to git her money.
2010		Jackson Sun (TN) 25 Nov. 10/6: [N]ow my Sissy is in heaven with Jesus.
2012		M. Lacher On the Bro’d 246: ‘[M]y sister gave him so much shit [...] I never told you about my sis but she’s pretty awesome’.

2. used as a term of direct address whether or not to one’s actual sister.

1834		‘Hoars Of Fleet Street’ Flash Chaunter 38: Says I, you shall, my pretty Cis.
1835		Knickerbocker (N.Y.) VI 293: All the friends called her sister,—which, as the half was easier to be bandied about than the whole,—soon dwindled into ‘sis’ [DA].
1844		J.C. Neal Peter Ploddy and Other Oddities 26: ‘Black Maria, sissy,’ said curly-headed Tom.
1848		‘Ned Buntline’ Mysteries and Miseries of N.Y. IV 8: Come along, Sis, she’s not fit for you to speak to!
c.1850		F.M. Whitcher Widow Bedott Papers (1883) 43: Oh dear suz!
1879		New Ulm Wkly Rev. (MN) 17 Dec. 1/8: Say, sis [...] those numb-heads [...] tore that pooty muslin thing of yours all to bits.
1884		G.W. Peck Peck’s Boss Book 239: Sis, you sit right down there.
1891		M.E. Ryan A Pagan of the Alleghanies 133: Folks call boys ‘bud’ sometimes, jist like they call girls ‘sis’ [DA].
1899		Boy’s Own Paper 4 Mar. 364: ‘Now tell me how it happened,’ said Browne’s sister as she poured tea. ‘Well, you see, Sis,’ said Browne.
1899		Boy’s Own Paper 15 Apr. 450: I’d like, lass, to make it my home for life, Siss, but for one thing.
1900		C. Chesnutt House Behind The Cedars (1995) 110: ‘Nev’ mind, sis,’ he said soothingly.
1902		Ade Girl Proposition 58: When he met her, he addressed her as Miss Livingstone. The other Fellow called her ‘Sis’ and linked Arms with her.
1908		‘O. Henry’ ‘A Tempered Wind’ in Gentle Grafter (1915) 191: Don’t cry, sis, you ain’t out a cent.
1910		H. Hapgood Types From City Streets 42: Sissy [...] what yer don’t know won’t hurt yer.
1917		Feilding Star (N.Z.) 3 Mar. 2/5: ‘Hi, Sis!’ he yelled to the hurrying waitress.
1932		J. Dixon Free To Love 62: Cut it, Sis.
1933		C. Himes ‘Her Whole Existence’ in Coll. Stories (1990) 91: Never refer to a gentleman as gorgeous, sis.
1933		Arizona Dly Star (Tucson, AZ) 13 May 8: How come steaks and onions, my Sissy?
1939		K. Tennant Foveaux 188: Of course I couldn’t live in Sydney, Sis.
1947		N. Algren ‘Depend on Aunt Elly’ in Texas Stories (1995) 98: You’ll need them for yourself, Sis.
1955		‘Blackie’ Audett Rap Sheet 200: I only got one little word to tell you, sis, [...] And that’s goodbye.
1956		N. Algren Walk on the Wild Side 42: ‘Your baby will catch cold, sis,’ Dove teased her.
1968		S. Gore Holy Smoke 80: Good on yer, sis.
1977		(con. 1960s) Nicholson & Smith Spend, Spend, Spend (1978) 145: Don’t worry, sis, it’s all right.
1979		Fantastic Four Annual 8: Bor-ing, Sis.
1981		J. Wambaugh Glitter Dome (1982) 73: Get your ass outa there, lil sis.
1989		R. Dahl Rhyme Stew (1990) 58: He whispers softly, ‘Listen, Sis, / I don’t much like the smell of this.’.
1998		‘Bill E. Goodhead’ Nubile Treat 🌐 Ned was speaking to his sister. ‘Let’s finish the last of the picnic lunch, Sis,’ he said.
2011		G. Hayward Corruption Officer [ebk] cap. 27: Come on, sis, even if he’s right you’re not supposed to let him see you like this.
2016		A. Wheatle Crongton Knights 38: Venetia, sis, don’t fret.

3. (US) a young woman [abbr. sissy n.].

1901		Bulletin (Sydney) 3 Aug. 13/2: I ups an’ bashes ’er fair acrost the promontory with the ’andle of me closed umberella [...]. Now [...] can I get damages outer Sis for breakin’ me umberella with ’er nose [...] ?
1949		Monteleone Criminal Sl. (rev. edn) 210: siss A woman; a girl.

4. see sissy n.