What does "hessian" mean?
Hessian: A native or inhabitant of Hesse.
Additional senses
- 2.A mercenary or venal person. [U. S.] Note: This use is a relic of the patriot hatred of the Hessian mercenaries who served with the British troops in the Revolutionary War.
- 3.pl. See Hessian boots and cloth, under Hessian, a.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00