/ees"say"/ , n. , pl. Issei .
1. a Japanese who immigrated to the U.S. or Canada after 1907 and was not eligible until 1952 for citizenship.
2. any Japanese immigrant to the U.S.
Also, issei . Cf. Kibei, Nisei, Sansei .
[ 1935-40; is first + sei generation (earlier it-sei, it-sei yì one + sheng birth) ]