# hoss

/ˈhɑs/ (US) · CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hoss
Updated: 2026-10-18

## Definition

a big strong man, or a friendly way to call a man buddy in the southern US. You hear it in casual talk, like between friends in Texas.

For teachers: a horse rendered in eye dialect, extended to mean a large powerful man and used as a familiar address term for a man. Chiefly Southern and Western US in origin, carrying connotations of size, strength, and good-natured familiarity.

## Examples

- Hey hoss, can you help me move this table?
- The coach slapped the young lineman on the back and said he was a real hoss on the field.
- In the Texas bar, strangers called each other hoss with easy warmth, a word that managed to sound both teasing and respectful at once.

## Usage notes

- Used chiefly as a vocative address term for men in Southern and Western US speech.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.