Hanse noun¹. [hans] Also hanse. ME.
[Middle Low German hanshūs and medieval Latin hansa from Old High German hansa, Middle & mod. High German hanse (whence Middle Low German hanse) = Old English hōs (instr. only) troop, company, Gothic hansa company, crowd, from Germanic, whence also Finnish kansa people, company.]
Hist.
1. A merchant guild. ME.
b. spec. (A merchant, citizen, or town of) the Hanseatic League. LME.

2. A membership fee payable to a merchant guild; a trading fee imposed on non-members of the guild. ME.

Comb.:
Hanse-house a guildhall; Hanse town a town of the Hanseatic League.

[TahlilGaran] English Dictionary ▲