Dictionary Definition
hessian n : (19th century) a man's high tasseled
boot [syn: Hessian
boot, jackboot,
Wellington, Wellington
boot]
User Contributed Dictionary
English
Adjective
Proper noun
en-proper noun Hessians- a native or inhabitant of Hesse
- a mercenary soldier, especially a German one who fought with the British in the American Revolutionary War
Noun
- a type of jute
Derived terms
Extensive Definition
The term Hessian refers to the inhabitants of the
German state of Hesse. Hessian may
also mean:
- Hessian (soldiers), soldiers from the former principality of Hesse Kassel (now in modern Germany) who fought in the American Revolutionary War and other conflicts. Occasionally soldiers from other German states were incorrectly called Hessians as well.
- Hessian (protocol), a binary protocol for web services developed by Caucho Technology
- Hessian (boot), knee-high tasseled boot worn by military officers in Victorian-era England
- Hessian language
- Hessian matrix, in mathematics, the matrix of all second partial derivatives of a function of several real variables
- Hessian Fly, a significant cereal pest
- Hessian (fabric), coarse woven material (chiefly UK and Ireland), akin to Burlap (chiefly N. American)
- Hessian (Subculture), subculture term for a marijuana user who is also a fan of heavy metal