Hes"sian (?), a.
Of or relating to Hesse, in Germany, or to the Hessians.
Hessian boots, or Hessians, boot of a kind worn in England, in the early part of the nineteenth century, tasseled in front. Thackeray. -- Hessian cloth, or Hessians, a coarse hempen cloth for sacking. -- Hessian crucible. See under Crucible. -- Hessian fly Zool., a small dipterous fly or midge (Cecidomyia destructor). Its larvae live between the base of the lower leaves and the stalk of wheat, and are very destructive to young wheat; -- so called from the erroneous idea that it was brought into America by the Hessian troops, during the Revolution.
© Webster 1913.
Hes"sian, n.
1.
A native or inhabitant of Hesse.
2.
A mercenary or venal person.
[U. S.]
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.
© Webster 1913.