Green’s Dictionary of Slang

cheri n.

[Madame Montigny, an actress at the Gymnase in Paris who appeared under the stage name of Rose Cheri. ‘A singularly pure woman and an angelic actress. Used by upper-class gentlemen to describe their mistresses’ (Ware)]

a charming woman.

Show quotations
[[UK]Morn. Post (London) 25 June 5/6: Mdlle. Rose Cheri, who was such a favourite at the French Plays in London, is about to be married to M. Lemoine Montigny, directenr of the Theatre de Gymnase].
[UK] (ref. to 1840–55) in J. Ware Passing Eng. of the Victorian Era.