List of English Words of Scottish Gaelic Origin - Words of Scottish Gaelic Origin

Words of Scottish Gaelic Origin

Bard

The word's earliest appearance in English is in 15th century Scotland with the meaning "vagabond minstrel". The modern literary meaning, which began in the 17th century, is heavily influenced by the presence of the word in ancient Greek (bardos) and ancient Latin (bardus) writings (e.g. used by the poet Lucan, 1st century AD), which in turn took the word from the Gaulish language.

Ben

From beinn, mountain.

Bodach

Old man.

Bog

From bog, soft (related to boglach swamp), from Old Irish bocc. 14th century.

Bothan

a hut, often an illegal drinking den. (cf Bothy)

Cailleach

An old woman, a hag, or a particular ancient goddess.

Cairn

From càrn. The word's meaning is much broader in Gaelic, and is also used for certain types of rocky mountains.

Capercaillie

From capall-coille, meaning "horse of the woods"

Ceilidh

A 'Social gathering' or, more recently, a formal evening of traditional Scottish Social Dancing.

Clan

From the compound form clann, from clann, children or family. Old Irish cland.

Claymore

A large broadsword, from claidheamh mór, great sword.

Coire

literally a "kettle", meaning a corrie, from the same root.

Craig

From creag, a cliff.

Deoch-an-dorus (various spellings)

meaning a "drink at the door". Translated as "one for the road", i.e. "one more drink before you leave".

Fear an taighe

an MC (master of ceremonies), Gaelic lit. "the man of the house"

Galore

From gu leor, enough.

Ghillie

a type of servant, now usually somebody in charge of fishing and rivers, and also ghillie suit used as a form of camouflage, from gille, boy or servant.

Glen

From gleann, a valley.

Gob

From gob, beak or bill.

Kyle or Kyles

Straits from Gaelic Caol & Caolais.

Loch

From loch .

Lochaber axe

From Loch Abar, Lochaber + axe.

Mackintosh

After Charles Macintosh who invented it. From Mac an Tòisich, son of the chieftain.

Mod

A Gaelic festival, from mòd, assembly, court.

Pet

From peata, tame animal.

Pibroch

From pìobaireachd, piping.

Pillion

From pillean, pack-saddle, cushion.

Plaid

From plaide, blanket. Alternatively a Lowland Scots loanword, from the past participle of ply, to fold, giving plied then plaid after the Scots pronunciation.

Ptarmigan

From tàrmachan . 16th Century.

Shindig

From sìnteag to skip, or jump around

Slogan

From sluagh-ghairm, battle-cry

Sporran

Via sporan from Old Irish sboran and ultimately Latin bursa, purse.

Spunk

From spong, tinder and also sponge. From Early Irish sponge, from Latin spongia, from Greek σπογγιά, a sponge.

Strontium

from Sròn an t-Sìthein meaning "the point at the fairy hill", name of a mountain, near which the element was discovered.

Tack & Tacksman (a lessee)

From Scots tak (take) cf. Old Norse taka.

Trousers

from triubhas, via "trews".

Whisky

Short form of whiskybae, from uisge-beatha, water of life.