nissen hut
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A long, iron-roofed hut, semi- circular in section, easily portable and largely used by armies, etc. The name comes from the original designers and makers.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “nissen hut” mean?
A long, iron-roofed hut, semi- circular in section, easily portable and largely used by armies, etc. The name comes from the original designers and makers.
Is “nissen hut” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.