Now updated for CSW19. New words, if any, and new inflections of existing words, are shown in red.
ben | mountain |
birlinn | a barge in the Western Isles. |
bodach | old man; churl; goblin or spectre. |
bothan | a booth, a hut. |
brochan | gruel, porridge. |
caillach cailleach cailliach | an old woman. |
cairngorm | a yellow-brown quartz. [Gaelic carn, stone + gorm, blue]. |
caman | a shinty stick |
camanachd | the game of shinty |
capercaillie capercailzie | a large Scottish bird of the grouse family. [Gaelic capull coille, horse of the woods]. |
caschrom | a spade with a bent handle for tilling soil. |
ceili ceilidh | an informal gathering with music, dancing etc. |
clach | a stone; (verb) to kill by stoning > CLACHED, CLACHING. [Gaelic clach, stone]. |
clachan | a small village. [Gaelic clach, stone]. |
clarsach clairschach | a Scottish folk harp. |
claymore | a large sword. [Gaelic claidheamh, sword + mor, great]. |
coranach coronach | a lamentation for the dead; a dirge. |
corkir korkir | a lichen used for dyeing red or purple. |
cranachan | a traditional Scottish dessert, usually made from a mixture of whipped cream, whisky, honey, and fresh raspberries topped with toasted oatmeal. |
crannog crannoge | one of the stockaded islands in Scotland and Ireland which in ancient times were numerous in the lakes of both countries. [Gaelic crann, a tree]. |
cranreuch | a hoar-frost. |
creach creagh | a foray, booty. |
cromack crummock crummack | a crook, a stick with a curved head. |
crotal crottle | a lichen used for dyeing. |
cudden cuddin | a coalfish; a dolt, fool. [Gaelic cudainn]. |
deiseal deasoil deasil deisheal deasiul | with a sunwise motion. |
donsie | luckless; feeble. [Gaelic donas, bad luck, harm or ill will]. |
dorlach | a bundle formerly carried on the person by Highland troops; a kitbag; a portmanteau. |
drammach drammock | meal and water mixed raw. |
droich | a dwarf. |
droichy | dwarfish > DROICHIER, DROICHIEST. |
duan | a division of a poem corresponding to a canto; a poem or song. |
dulse | an edible red seaweed. [Gaelic duilleasg: duille, leaf, + uisge, water]. |
duniewassal duniwassal dunniewassal | a Highland gentleman of inferior rank. |
eirack | a young hen. [Gaelic eireag]. |
filibeg fillibeg philabeg phillabeg philibeg phillibeg | the kilt. [Gaelic feileadhbeag, from feileadh, pleat or fold, and beag, little]. |
finnac finnack finnock phinnock | a young sea trout. |
graddan | parched grain; (verb) to parch in the husk. |
gralloch | to gut, esp. a deer. [Gaelic grealach]. |
guga | a young gannet, eaten as a delicacy in the Hebrides. |
hoolachan hoolican | a kind of Highland reel. |
kyle | a narrow strait. [Gaelic caol, narrow]. |
kyloe | a breed of Highland cattle. [Gaelic gaidhealach Gaelic, Highland.] |
loch | a lake. |
lochan | a small lake, a pond. |
lymphad | a Highland galley. [Gaelic longfhada]. |
machair | a low-lying sandy beach, esp. in the Hebrides. |
maormor mormaor | a high-ranking or chief steward. |
murlain murlan murlin | a narrow-mouthed basket. |
partan | an edible British crab. [Perh. ult. f. OIr. partaing, red]. |
pibroch | variations on a dirge or martial theme for bagpipes. |
ptarmigan | a game-bird of the grouse family, which lives on barren moors and heaths in Arctic and subarctic areas. [Gael. tarmachan, f. tarm-, torm-, grumble, croak; the p- seems to have come by confusion with the Greek root ptarmos, sneeze]. |
quaich quaigh | a drinking-cup. Pl. QUAICHS or QUAICHES; QUAIGHS. |
rolag | a roll of combed sheep's wool ready for spinning. [Gaelic ròlag, dim. of rola, a roll]. |
seannachie seannachy sennachie shanachie | a bard among the Highlanders of Scotland, who preserved and repeated the traditions of the tribes; also, a genealogist. |
skean skene skeen | a double-edged dagger used in Ireland and Scotland. [Gaelic sgean, knife]. |
skeechan | a kind of beer made by mixing malt liquor with treacle. [Gaelic caochan, fermented liquor]. |
skelp | to hustle; to slap, strike. [Gaelic sgealp, a slap] |
sowans sowens | a kind of oat porridge, a traditional dish for Hallowe'en. |
spleuchan | a pouch, as for tobacco. |
sporran | an ornamental pouch worn in front of kilt. |
spreagh | a cattle raid; a foray. [Gaelic spreidh, cattle]. |
taghairm | inspiration sought by lying in a bullock's hide behind a waterfall. |
taish taisch | an apparition of someone about to die. [Gaelic taibhis, apparition]. |
tinchel | a circle of men who close in round a herd of deer. |
tocher | dowry; (verb) to dower. |
tonnag | a shawl with a shaped neck and side fastening. |
tulchan | a calf's skin set beside a cow to make her give milk freely. [Gaelic tulachan]. |
usque usquabae usquebae usquebaugh | whiskey. |
weem | a subterranean dwelling. [Gaelic uaim, cave]. |