DCHP-2
hoser DCHP-2 (July 2016)
n. — informal, youth slang, dated
an uncouth and dim-witted young person, usually a man.
Type: 1. Origin — The term hoser refers to the type of Canadian young men who wear toques and flannel shirts while drinking beer and conducting inane conversations (see AHD-5, s.v. "hoser"). The term was popularized, or possibly invented, by Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas. During the comedy television skit "Great White North", which first aired on Second City TV (SCTV) in 1981, they improvised skits playing two hosers called Bob and Doug Mackenzie (see the 1981 quotation). Two theories about the word's origin have been advanced (see the third 1982 and the 2010 quotations). Since we were unable to find examples of the word before 1981, we cannot comment on their accuracy. The term is most frequent in Canada (see Chart 1). See also COD-2, s.v. "hoser", which is marked "Cdn slang", Gage-5, s.v. "hoser", which is marked "Cdn. Slang", ITP Nelson, s.v. "hoser", which is marked "Canadian Slang", and OED-3, s.v. "hoser", which is marked "Canad. slang", AHD-5, s.v. "hoser", which is marked "Canadian slang".
