Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
noun
- a company or guild of merchants in a northern European medieval town.
- a fee paid to a merchant guild by a new member.
- Also called Hansa town, Hansetown. a town that is a member of the Hanseatic League.
- Hanseatic League.
also Hanse, medieval European merchants’ guild; see Hanseatic. A member was a Hansard (early 13c. as a surname).