Hansa

noun

Han·​sa ˈhan(t)-sə How to pronounce Hansa (audio) ˈhän-(ˌ)zä How to pronounce Hansa (audio)
variants or Hanse
ˈhan(t)s How to pronounce Hansa (audio) ˈhän-zə How to pronounce Hansa (audio)
1
: a league originally constituted of merchants of various free German cities dealing abroad in the medieval period and later of the cities themselves and organized to secure greater safety and privileges in trading
2
: a medieval merchant guild or trading association
Hanseatic
ˌhan(t)-sē-ˈa-tik How to pronounce Hansa (audio)
noun or adjective

Word History

Etymology

Hansa from Medieval Latin, from Middle Low German hanse; Hanse from Middle English Hanze, from Anglo-French hanse, from Middle Low German

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Hansa was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near Hansa

Hans

Hansa

Hansard

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Hansa.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Hansa. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

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More from Merriam-Webster on Hansa

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about Hansa

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