# The word "Hoss" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 11, 2003, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-hoss/218359 "2003-12-11T14:50:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![konzept](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@konzept](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/konzept)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-hoss/218359/1 "2003-12-11T14:50:52Z")
I work at a fairly small company with an owner that is from Texas. He has a fairly blunt personality, he is one who just says what he feels. At times he can be rude. Most of the things he says don’t bother me for I have worked with some rash personalities in the past and have learned how todeal with them. However, there is one thing he says that really gets to me and I don’t know why. Often times when he gets really fired up he calls people “Hoss” instead of their real name. “I have a problem with this, Hoss”, “We are losing money here, hoss”, etc. What does this term mean and where does it come from. Is it some texas slang word? Should I be offended by this or is it the equivalent of someone saying “Man” as in “This sucks man” or “dude” as in “Dude, what are you doing?”. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-hoss/218359/2 "2003-12-11T15:00:18Z")
What, you’re too young to remember “Bonanza”? 😉 It’s just like dude or man, maybe friendlier. More like “pal” or “buddy”. When I posted a thread when I was taking the bar exam, an encouraging poster asked me after the first day “Hey, hoss! How’d it go?” It was cool. I wouldn’t be offended, although I might be slightly annoyed if it was a term he only used when he was P.O.d about something, just like if somebody only called you “pal” when he was annoyed with you. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-hoss/218359/3 "2003-12-11T15:30:47Z")
So far as I know, “Hoss” was originally a nickname for a guy who had the strength (or size or nature or role) of a horse. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-hoss/218359/4 "2003-12-11T15:32:06Z")
Yes, he/she must be too young to remember ‘Bonanza’ Hoss is not a derogatory word at all. prv is right, it’s like saying pal or buddy… ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-hoss/218359/5 "2003-12-11T15:37:06Z")
Oh yeah…Welcome to the Boards **Konzept**! ---
**Author:** ![hauss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5fc32e/32.png) [@hauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hauss)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-hoss/218359/6 "2003-12-11T16:12:33Z")
Hoss is a cool word. My buddy used to have an old big white dodge truck that we used to call “The White Hoss”. Some of my buddies and I call each other “hoss”, because we all lift weights and are big guys. Heck, I don’t even call my brother by his name anymore, it’s just hoss. To affirm, it is definately not derogatory. That’s really funny that your boss uses that word so frequently though… I’d like to hear this guy talk! That’s kind of overdoing it, if you ask me. ---
**Author:** ![konzept](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@konzept](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/konzept)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-hoss/218359/7 "2003-12-11T19:41:53Z")
I think it is just the way he says it. Since he always says when he is mad, he makes it sound condescending, like he’s challenging you or something. He was born in texas but he doesn’t really have an accent, just a stereotypically texan attitude. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-hoss/218359/8 "2003-12-11T23:10:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by hauss \* > \*\* Heck, I don’t even call my brother by his name anymore, it’s just hoss. \*\* So does that make you Adam or Little Joe? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2003, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-hoss/218359/9 "2003-12-12T05:00:33Z")
Movie fun fact: In any thriller, the character who _uses_ the word “Hoss” will be dead by the end. E.g., “Basic Instinct”. **konzept** : point this out to your co-worker. If he’s at all superstitious, maybe he’ll stop. ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2003, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-hoss/218359/10 "2003-12-12T05:06:25Z")
He’s a crooked jockey who rides a crooked hoss. Lets see if anyone catches THAT reference 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2003, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-hoss/218359/11 "2003-12-12T05:29:27Z")
I think it’s possibly intended as, well, if not derogatory, at least condescending. I wasn’t a big _Bonanza_ fan, but if I recall, Hoss (played by Dan Blocker) was a big and not terribly smart guy, and your co-worker may be repeating a line from Hoss’ father, Ben Cartwright (Lorne Greene). In other words, he may be implying, “I’m older and wiser than you, dumb guy.” But I could be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![konzept](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@konzept](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/konzept)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2003, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-hoss/218359/12 "2003-12-12T12:50:00Z")
I don’t think i would mention the whole horror movie or thriller superstition, he could possibly take that the wrong way. Like I am going to kill him or something if he keeps using it.