Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Hessian \Hes"sian\, a.
   Of or relating to Hesse, in Germany, or to the Hessians.

   {Hessian boots}, or {Hessians}, boot of a kind worn in
      England, in the early part of the nineteenth century,
      tasseled in front. --Thackeray.

   {Hessian cloth}, or {Hessians}, a coarse hempen cloth for
      sacking.

   {Hessian crucible}. See under {Crucible}.

   {Hessian fly} (Zo["o]l.), a small dipterous fly or midge
      ({Cecidomyia destructor}). Its larv[ae] live between the
      base of the lower leaves and the stalk of wheat, and are
      very destructive to young wheat; -- so called from the
      erroneous idea that it was brought into America by the
      Hessian troops, during the Revolution.

Hessian \Hes"sian\, n.
   1. A native or inhabitant of Hesse.

   2. A mercenary or venal person. [U. S.]

   Note: This use is a relic of the patriot hatred of the
         Hessian mercenaries who served with the British troops
         in the Revolutionary War.

   3. pl. See {Hessian boots} and cloth, under {Hessian}, a.

Source : WordNet®

hessian
     n : (19th century) a man's high tasseled boot [syn: {Hessian
         boot}, {jackboot}, {Wellington}, {Wellington boot}]