Hosen
/ˈhoʊzən/noun
An obsolete plural form of “hose,” meaning stockings, leggings, or breeches.
Did you know?In medieval and early modern English, hosen could refer to close-fitting leg garments that were gradually joined into what we now recognize as tights or trousers.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*husōn
“A leg covering or garment; the reconstructed ancestor of the Germanic clothing term.”
Old English
Old English
hosa
“A stocking, sock, or leg covering.”
Middle English
Middle English
hose
“A stocking, leggings, or breeches; the plural was commonly formed as hosen.”
14th–16th Century
English
hosen
“Plural of hose, referring to fitted stockings or joined leg garments.”
Modern English
English
hosen
“An obsolete or archaic plural, preserved mainly in historical, biblical, or literary contexts.”