Canadian Word Origins: Hoser

Canada has many unique words to describe things, such as two-four, double-double, chesterfield and poutine. I am exploring where those words come from.

A uniquely Canadian word, it was popularized by Bob and Doug McKenzie on SCTV, but where does the word come from?
Could be from hockey, could be from a criminal act...

Instagram: @Bairdo37

[fumblerooskie]

Sometimes my American friends call me this. I wear it as a badge of honour 😄

[mymichiganmittens]

My teens have heard this word since they were tots, since I grew up with that word..."buzz off hoser" 😅

[brianclark]

In January 1958, I remember sitting in my grade 6 classroom in Toronto and most students were staring out the window while the fire department flooded the hockey cushion and the figure-skating rink. The teacher clapped her hands loudly to get everyone’s attention.
“Hey !! Everyone quit looking out the window and pay attention to the lesson. If you don’t study, you’ll probably end up being a hoser like those guys outside in the freezing cold”.

And that, ladies and gents, gave meaning to what the Mackenzie Brothers were saying so many years later.

[mergatroyd]

Another one: "Take off, ya knob!"

[mergatroyd]

When one our best friends was going through a divorce several years ago, he'd drive three hours almost every weekend for a couple of months to visit us, watch Strange Brew drink a few beers and laugh at that ridiculous movie. The three of us still call each other Hoser, HoseHead and me, Hosette... And we still crack each other up quoting their lines.
"Next time, turn it up to 90!" Beauty, eh? 🤣

[_nein_]

The term “hoser” doesn’t mean hillbilly or anything like you described. It’s closer to being called a loser since the term originates from hockey whereas the losing team had to scrape the ice and hose it down. You’re welcome eh !

[vedinthorn]

If it's related to hose-head, it seems to me that knit caps are a lot like hosery but on your head.

[NCCKILLER]

It's the first one.
Hoser steals gas with a hose

[HunterMann]

Hoser is not good. Hoosier here in the US is a dignified term.