What does hosen mean?
Hosen is an old English word now found chiefly in literature, historical texts, and descriptions of earlier clothing. As a noun, it is the archaic plural of hose and was used particularly for stockings or other coverings for the legs. As a verb, it is the former past tense and past participle of hose, meaning to supply with or put on hose. The word preserves an older English plural pattern and therefore sounds markedly historical. Modern speakers normally use the plural hoses for separate tubular objects, while the form hose can still function collectively in phrases such as a hose and connections for carrying water or another liquid. In its older clothing sense, hosen can lend vividness to descriptions of medieval, Renaissance, or archaic settings, although it is not normally used in contemporary neutral prose. It is also worth distinguishing from hosiery, which refers collectively to garments such as stockings and socks rather than serving as a direct plural equivalent.
An archaic plural of hose, especially stockings or leg coverings.
"The page entered wearing velvet hosen and a weather-beaten cloak."
Chiefly literary or historical; the ordinary modern plural is hoses.
Archaic past tense and past participle of hose: to put hose on or supply with hose.
"The horses were hosen and groomed before the long ride."
Rare and chiefly found in older or literary English.
Hosen is itself an archaic plural form of hose; the standard modern plural is hoses.
"His woollen hosen were torn and badly stained."
Once everyday clothing, “hosen” survives mainly in historical writing, where it adds a vivid touch of antiquity.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of hosen
The word comes through Middle English from Old English hosa, meaning a leg covering or stocking. The form hosen reflects an older plural pattern and survives today chiefly as an archaic form. The related modern words hosier and hosiery were later developed from hose and refer to garments made or sold in the hosiery trade.
How hosen is actually used
The noun is archaic and chiefly literary. The verb form is also rare and belongs mainly to historical or deliberately archaic English.