Place-Name Glossary
This is a glossary of Scots words which are used in place-names. Each entry gives the meaning of the word, alongside linguistic notes (discussed below) and modern and historical examples of the word in actual place-names in Scotland.
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Modern Form  | Older Scots Form | Etymology | PoS | Definition | Modern Examples | Historical Evidence | SND Link | DOST Link | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| stank | stank | OF estanc | n | a pool, a pond, a fish pond (on an estate); the area of ground around a pond; a small semi-stagnant (overgrown) sheet of water, a stretch of slow-moving water, a sluggish stream; a ditch, an open watercourse; a gutter, a drainage channel | Black Stank (Wigtownshire); Stankards (West Lothian); Fivestanks (West Lothian); Gowan Stank (West Lothian) | Castilstank 13thC; Hawedenstank 1397; Houden Stank 1398; Stank of Fowles 1590 | stank n1; S2 stank n1 | stank n1 | |
| star | star | ON stǫrr | n | a species of grass or sedge (growing on moorish or boggy ground); land covered in sedges | Starlaw (West Lothian); Starcleuch Edge (Roxburghshire); Star Wood (East Lothian); Star Burn (South Lanarkshire); Starhill (Banffshire) | star of Kelle 1471; (le) Starlaw 1468 the stare myr 1549; Sterlaw 1618 | star n2 | star(e n3 | |
| steid | stede | OE stede | n | an inhabited place, a hamlet or village; an area of land, a landed property or estate, a farm; a dwelling-place; the site of a building, the piece of land on which a building stands | Newstead (Roxburghshire); Kirkstead (Selkirkshire); Millstead (Dumfriesshire); Castle Steads (Midlothian); Middlestead (Selkirkshire) | Selestede 1165-1214; Castilsted 13thC; le stede de Kynewarde 1509; Hannykyn kill steid 1560 | steid n; S2 steid n | sted(e, steid n1 | |
| stoddert, strother | srother | OE *strōðer, ME strother | n | a marshy place | Stockstrother (Roxburghshire); Bellstruther (Berwickshire); Yellowstruther (Midlothian); Williestrother Loch (Roxburghshire); Westruther (Berwickshire); Strutherhill (South Lanarkshire) | Harastrodar a1159; Kyrnestroder c1160; Strotherflat 13thC; Westsrother c1300 | stoddert n | strother n | Dodgy? |
| strath | strath | Gael srath | n | a wide river valley, a stretch of relatively flat, fertile land bounded by hills | Wester Strath (West Lothian); Strath of Kildonan (Sutherland); Strath Mill (West Lothian); Strath of Menteith (Perthshire); Strathloanhead (West Lothian) | La Strath de Ogilface 1386; the Strath of Menteth 1507-8; Easter Strayth 1588; Strath-loan 1682; Straith(h)ill 1698 | strath n, S2 strath n | strath(e, straith(e n | |
| swine | swyne | OE swīn | n | a pig, pigs | Swinewaird (Kincardineshire); Swinewood (Berwickshire); Swineside Hall (Roxburghshire); Swineford (Midlothian); Soonhope (Berwickshire); Swine's Cleugh (Midlothian); Swinedrum (Kirkcudbrightshire); Swine Fell (Wigtownshire) | swhynhope c1200; Swineshales 1230; Swineford 1258; Swynschawis 1265 | swine n | swine, swyn(e n | |
| swire | swyre | OE swīra, ON svíri | n | a hollow or declivity between hills (through which a road runs); a hollow or level place near the top of a hill; a neck (of land) | Redeswire Fray (Roxburghshire); Roughsware (Midlothian); Swyre (Dumfriesshire); Sware Brae (Kirkcudbrightshire); Swire Knowe (Roxburghshire); Dewar Swire (Midlothian); Sware Burn (Dumfriesshire); Sware Head (Kirkcudbrightshire); Sware Knowe (Dumfriesshire); Swire Syke (Roxburghshire); Ludsgill Sware (Dumfriesshire) | Hethouswyre 1214-49; Buchswyre 1327; Reid Swyre 1575; Hardhaugh swire c1800 | swire n | swire, swyr(e n | |
| syke | sike | OE sīc, ON sík | n | a small stream; a ditch or channel containing a stream or rivulet; a marshy hollow (through which a stream flows), a cleft in the ground | Sikeside (North Lanarkshire); Colliesyke (West Lothian); Sauchy Sike (Dumfriesshire); Threepsikes (Fife); Adie's Syke (Midlothian); Liggat Syke (West Lothian); Whitesykes (Midlothian); Allery Sike (Dumfriesshire) | Blindsyke a1398; modirsyke 1457; Foulsyik 1571; Murroksyke 1579; Fouladge syke 1665; the syke called Coallyears boignesyke 1683 | syke n; S2 syke n | sike, syk(e n | See also DOST (siket) syketh, sichet, sychet n |
| taft | toft | ON topt, OE toft | n | a homestead (and the attached land), the site of a house or buildings | Taft (Orkney); Easter Tofts (South Lanarkshire); Upper Tofts (Roxburghshire); Tofthill Plantation (Fife); Edgerston Tofts (Roxburghshire); Greentoft (Orkney); Lower Toft (Roxburghshire) | Eghetofft 1214-49; Braytoftis 1248-9; Godemannistoft c.1235; Toftes 1296; Tofts 1622 | taft n | toft n1 | See also DOST Tofting, Thoftyn, n |
| tail | tail | n | a tail; a long, narrow strip of ground, generally adjoining and stretching backwards from the site or garden of a house or croft; a small division of land attached to a larger division like a tail; the lower end or hindmost part of a piece of land or watercourse; the tail-race of a mill; the end of a sandbank | Milltail (Fife); Tails of Stow (Orkney); Tail of the Skerry (Orkney) | Thailbog 1219-33; the taill of Quoybankis 1578; the taills of Auld Aberden 1608; the Tail End 1611; the tail of the bank 1822 | tail n; S2 tail n | tail, tale n | ||
| tarnty, taranty | trinité | OF trinite | n | the trinity, the three aspects of the Godhead collectively | Trinity Gask (Perthshire); Trinity (Angus, Edinburgh); Trinity College (Glasgow); Trinity Hall (Aberdeen); Trinity Church (Glasgow) | le Trinite burn 1488; College of Trynite 1498-99; Trinity Mure 1692; Auld Tarrnty Ha' 1887; Taranty Muir 1892 | tarnty n; S1 tar(a)nty n | trinité, trinity n | |
| temple | tempil | OE templ, OF temple | n | property or lands in the possession of the order of the Knights Templar or later the Hospitalers | Templandmuir (Ayrshire); Temple (Midlothian); Templehall (Angus, Berwickshire, Fife); Temple of Boclair (Dunbartonshire); Temple Park (Midlothian) | Templeacre c1190; Tempilhalle 1368-69; Tempilhil 1446; Tempil Liston 1464 | temple n1 | tempil(l, temple n1 | See also DOST tempil(l)land n |
| temple-land | tempillland | OE templ, OF temple + OE land | n | land given or belonging to the Knights Templar and as such not subject to teinds | Templeland (Angus, Fife); Templeland Road (Edinburgh, Glasgow); Templeland Cottage (South Lanarkshire); Templeland Farm (Aberdeenshire) | Tempylland 1376-77; Tempilland 1446; tempilland of Dalgernow 1454-55; tempilland of Henderstoun 1611; temple land of St. Johns 1694 | temple n1 | tempil(l)land n | See also DOSTtempil(l, temple n1 |
| teuchit, teewheet | tuchet | ME tuchet | n | the lapwing | Teuchat Knowe (Fife); Teuchatcroft (Angus); Teuchathead (Fife); Teuchatmuir (Perthshire) | Tyhwitemore c1320; Tuquhyt Myre 1475; Tauchieflattes 1666; Tuewheet Law 1810 | teuchit n; teewheet n | tuchet, tuquheit n | Compare SND teeock n |
| thief | thefe | OE þīof, þēof ON þiófr | n | one who steals, a robber or thief | Thief Sike (Roxburghshire); Thiefs Cave (Perthshire); Thieves Knowes (Shetland); Thief's Hill (Dunbartonshire) | Theuisford 1147-60; Theuisbrig 1493; theiffis brig 1501-2; Theiffis-port 1574-75 | thief n; S1 thief n | thef(e, theif(e, thief n | |
| thorn | thorne | OE þorn, ON þorn | n | a thorn tree or bush, a hedge of thorn bushes | Thornholme (South Lanarkshire); Thornhill (Aberdeen); Thornton (Fife, Midlothian); Nenthorn (Berwickshire); Hawthorn (Selkirkshire); Thornbank (Fife); Thornloan (Stirlingshire); Thorn Isle (Argyllshire) | Hardingesthorn 1133-47; Neithanesthyrn 1159; Thornton c1230; Thorneburht 1214-49; Thornedich c1250; Thornle 1403 | thorn n1 | thorn(e n | |
| thorny, toarny | thorny, thornie | OE þornig | a | filled with or composed of thorn trees or bushes | Thornybank (Banffshire); Thorniethwaite (Dumfriesshire); Thornyside (Ayrshire); Turniedykes (Midlothian); Thornyhaw (Fife); Thornyhills (South Lanarkshire); Thornyhive Bay (Kincardineshire); Thornycrook (Midlothian) | Thorniflat 1272-1316; Thornidyk a1300; Thornyle a1390; Thornydykis 1406 | toarny adj | thorny adj | |
| thorter | thortour | ME þwertouer | a | slanted, squint, awry; running across or at an oblique angle | Thorterdykes (Roxburghshire); Thorter Fell (Kirkcudbrightshire); Thorter Row (Dundee); Thorter Burn (East Lothian) | Thwortour-Raw 1489-90; thuorter land 1490; thortyrland 1535; thuortour gaittis of Korstoun 1569; thorter raw 1720 | thorter adj | thorto(u)r, thwortour, thwartour adj | |
| threap | threpe, threip | ME Þrepe | n | a dispute, a quarrel (with regard to ownership of land) | Thriepland (Banffshire); Threaprig (North Lanarkshire); Threepwood (South Lanarkshire); Threapmuir (Kinross-shire); Threipmuir Reservoir (Midlothian) | Threpland c1200; Hafthrepland 1383; Threpleche 1425; threpfelde 1463 | threap n, S2 threap n | threp(e, threip n | |
| tod | tod | ME tod | n | a fox | Todhills (Angus, Midlothian); Todrig (Berwickshire); Todrigs Burn (Ayrshire); Todholes (Caithness, Dumfriesshire); Todlhole Knowe (Midlothian); Todhillock (Aberdeenshire); Todhead Point (Kincardineshire) | Todholerig 1165-82; Thodholesid 1214-49; Todlaw 1222; Todhillis 1587; Todhoillis 1621 | tod n1 | tod n1 | |
| toll | tol | OE toll | n | a tax or duty; a checkpoint on a turnpike road where tolls were collected, a toll-bar; (a collection point for) tolls on imported or exported goods, or the privelege of selling goods in a market | Eglington Toll (Glasgow); Cameron Toll (Edinburgh); Barnhill Tollhouse (Perth); Tollcross (Edinburgh, Glasgow); Toll Bar Cott (Kirkcudbright); Clushford Toll (Fife); Bonnybridge Toll (Stirlingshire) | tolbotha de Suthbervyc 1283-98; le Tolcorse 1458; Towcross 1662; Cairntows 1773 | toll n1 | tol(l n | See also DOST tolbuth(e, towbuth(e n and SND tolbooth n |
| toun | toun | OE tūn | n | a farm (and farm buildings); a hamlet inhabited by estate tenants; a villlage, a burgh, a town; (in Shetland) the enclosed arable ground of a farm | Anderston (Glasgow); Edgerston (Roxburghshire); Mertoun (Berwickshire); Ferryton (Ross and Cromarty); Beckton (Dumfriesshire); Smithton (Inverness); Westerton (Glasgow); Templeton (Angus); Synton (Selkirkshire) | Hadyton 1098; Sprostona 1119-24; Clerchetun c1141; Kyrchetune c1145; Hadingtoun a1150; Langtune c1150 | toun n; S1 toun n; S2 toun n | toun, town(e, ton(e n | See also DOST toun end n and toun heid n |
| tron | trone | OF trone | n | the public steelyard or weighing-machine in a burgh, set up in or near the market-place for the weighing of various types of heavy or coarse goods; the district around the tron | Trongate (Glasgow); Tron Kirk (Edinburgh); St George's-Tron Church (Glasgow); Tron (Edinburgh); Tron Knowe (North Lanarkshire) | Tronum de Edinburgh 1446; Troyne Gait 1545; Troingait 1553; Tron kirk 1689; Tron-knowe 1880 | tron n | tron(e n | See also SNDS1 trouan n |
| voe | voe, wo | ON vágr | n | an inlet of the sea, a deep bay or long creek, a fjord | Voe of Sound (Shetland); East Voe of Quarff (Shetland); West Voe of Sumburgh (Shetland); Voe of Clousta (Shetland) | Voe of Sara 1733; North Voe 1832; South Voe 1832; East Voe of Scalloway 1887 | voe n; S2 voe n | vo(e, wo n | |
| wa | wall, waw | OE weall, wall | n | a wall, a boundary wall; the defensive walls or ramparts (around a town or castle); (in plural) roofless buildings, ruins | Dun’s Wa’s (Kirkcudbrightshire); Back o’ Wa’ (Wigtownshire); Waas (Fife); Jean's Wa's (Kirkcudbrightshire); Bratney Wa’s (Wigtownshire); Aitkin's Wa's (Kirkcudbrightshire) | (The) Corsswallis 1552; the walneuk of Paislaye 1621; Schawiswallis 1622; Grahames Walls 1649; Badgels-wolls 1681; Guns Walls 1755 | wa n; S2 wa n | wal(l, wa(w n |
Glossary compiled by Dr Alison Grant of Scottish Language Dictionaries and the Scottish Place-Name Society.
Linguistic Notes
The glossary provides the Modern Scots form of each place-name element, and then traces the word back through the Older Scots form to its etymological root. Illustration of the development of each element is found in the historical forms, and modern usage is illustrated by the current place-name examples provided. The glossary also provides references to the two major Scots dictionaries, the Scottish National Dictionary (SND) and the Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (DOST) together with any relevant supplementary material (the first SND supplement is marked S1, and the second S2, and the additions to DOST are marked ADDS). These dictionaries can be accessed online at www.dsl.ac.uk. Further supplementary material has been added from two 1940s Ph. D. theses, The Non-Celtic Place-Names of the Scottish Border Counties by May Williamson and The Place Name of Midlothian by Norman Dixon, both of which are available for consultation in the ‘resources’ section of the Scottish Place-Name Society website. The glossary contains Scots words derived from Old English, Old Norse, Middle Dutch, Anglo-Norman French and Latin, together with more recent loan-words from Gaelic and Insular Norn. For example, the whilst ‘glen’ is primarily a Gaelic place-name element, occurring in names such as Glen Affric and Glenmore, the word was also borrowed into Scots, where it was used to form names such as Glenhead and Glens of Foudland. Similarly, although names in ‘geo’ are often from Old Norse gjá, including Ramnageo and Papilgeo, the word was also borrowed into Scots from Norn, and used to coin names such as Millburn Geo and Geo of Dykesend.Counties (where given) are pre-1975 local government reorganisation.
PoS = Part of Speech (noun, adjective, etc.)
