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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| hive, hythe | hive | OE hӯð | n | a harbour, a haven, a landing place, an inlet among rocks | Steenhive (Kincardineshire); Redhythe (Morayshire); Thornyhive Bay (Kincardineshire); Cowhythe (Morayshire); Broad Hive (Aberdeenshire) | Stain-hyve 1600; Salt-coat-hive c1680; Guthrie’s hyth 1723; Thorn-hive 1825 | hive n; hythe n | hive, hyve n | Compare SND hine n and DOST havin n1 and hane |
| stane | stane | OE stān, ON steinn | n | a stone; a rock, a boundary stone, a landmark, a stone used as a meeting place | Thirlestane (Berwickshire, Selkirkshire); Harestanes (Dunbartonshire, Fife, Roxburghshire); Stanerig (Stirlingshire); Shoestanes (Midlothian); Stenton (Fife); Brigstanes (Kincardineshire); Stenhouse (Dumfriesshire, Edinburgh, Fife); Brotherstone (Berwickshire, Midlothian) | Staincros 1165-1214; Steinreise bech 1194-1214; Stanhus 1214-49; Thirlestan c1260; Stenhyve 1607; Steanhous 1666 | stane n; S1 stane n; S2 stane n; stone n1 | stan(e n | |
| stanie | stany | OE stānig | a | abundant in stones; characterised by stone or stones | Staney Hill (Roxburghshire); Stoneywood (Stirlingshire); Stanygill (Roxburghshire); Stoneyhill Wood (Aberdeen); Stoneyport (Midlothian); Stonyford (Angus); Stoneyflat (Midlothian); Stonywynd (Fife); Stoneyhill (Midlothian) | Staniford 1165-82; Stanyacre c1250; Stanyburne 1597; Stanie Mailing 1660 (1663) | stane n; stane S2 | stany adj | |
| 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 | |
| south | south | OE sūþ | a | situated in, or belonging to, the south; southern, southerly | South Inch (Aberdeenshire); South Queensferry (West Lothian); South Nettlehirst (Ayrshire); South Mains (Angus); South Kessock (Inverness); Southfield (Midlothian); South Glen (Stirlingshire) | Suthberwik c1170; Sutblan 1236; Suthtun de Laynal c1248; Suthebuttes 13thC; Southgate 1449-50; Southfelde 1450 | south a; S2 south a | south a | |
| 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 | |
| wuid | wode | OE wudu | n | an area of trees (smaller than a forest), a stretch or piece of woodland; (of a place) wooded, consisting of trees | Woodlands (Glasgow); Legerwood (Berwickshire); Holywood (Dumfriesshire); Woodend (Aberdeen); Williamwood (Glasgow); Woodneuk (Renfrewshire); Harwood (Roxburghshire); Woodinch (Perthshire); Woodmill (Fife) | Swinewde 1097-1107; Wudehorn 1152; Ringwude 1153-65; Ledgerdwode 1165-73; Wudeschirche c1180 | wuid n: S1 wuid n; S2 wuid n | wod(e n | |
| souter | soutar | OE sūtere | n | a shoemaker, a cobbler | The Sutors (Ross and Cromarty); Souterhill (Aberdeenshire); Souterhouse (North Lanarkshire); Souterland (Midlothian); Sutor Stacks (Ross and Cromarty); Souterford (Aberdeenshire) | swtercrophtdyk a1325; Sutergate 1337; Sowttergait 1563; Soutarland 1696; The Cromarty Sutors 1854 | souter n; S2 souter n | soutar 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 |
| scrog, scrogg | scrog | ME skrogg | n | brushwood or scrub, thickets of bushes or small trees; an area or piece of land covered with scrub or brushwood; a stunted or crooked bush or low tree, a stump or root of a tree, a crabapple tree | Scroghill (Aberdeenshire); Scrogs of Drumruck (Kirkcudbrightshire); Scroggs (Dumfriesshire); Scrogbank (Selkirkshire); Crossford Scroggs (Dumfriesshire) | terram de Scrogges c1208; Scrogisston 1476; Scrogbank 1595; Priesthaugh Scrogg 1805 | scrog n1; S2 scrog n1; scrag n | scrog(g, skrog(g n | |
| dale, deel, daal | dale, dail | OE dæl, ON dalr | n | a dale, a valley | Teviotdale (Roxburghshire); Lauderdale (Berwickshire); Butterdales (Dumfriesshire); Tweeddale (Roxburghshire); Nithsdale (Dumfriesshire) | Teviettedale c1100; Drivesdale 1116; Teuidall c1154; Tvededale 1159; Lawederdale c1200 | dale n3; deel n; daal, dal(l n | dale, dail(l n1 | |
| 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 | ||
| bent | bent | OE beonet | n | a strong coarse variety of grass of a reedy or rush-like character (found on moorland or links); a place where such grass grows; a sandy hillock or a stretch of open ground covered with bent grass; a (grassy) slope or hillside | Benthead (Ayrshire, West Lothian); Gullane Bents (East Lothian); Bentfoot (North Lanarkshire); The Bents (West Lothian); White Bents (Angus) | The Bentis 1586; Bents of Balruddie 1662; Broadbents 1773; Southbent 1755 | bent n1; S1 bent n1; bent n2 | bent n | |
| connie, coney, kinnen, kunno | coning, cuning | OF conin, conil, ME conyng | n | a rabbit | Coney Park (Stirlingshire); Coneyhatch (Kincardineshire); Kinnen Hill (West Lothian); Cuninghowes (Edinburgh) | The Cunyshill c.1540; Cunninghills 1688; Cuninboigs 1688; Kinningbrae 1698 | connie n; kinnen n; S1 kinnen n, kunno n | coning, conyng n; cuning, cunning n; qwneing n; kinning n | |
| geo | geo | ON gjá | n | a creek or inlet of the sea with steep rocky sides, a cleft with deep water among rocks; a ravine | Geo of the Ward (Shetland); Peat Geo (Orkney); Millburn Geo (Shetland); Geo of Dykesend (Orkney); Geo of Sclaites (Caithness); Geo of Pass (Orkney); Geo of Markamouth (Shetland) | the geo of Nes 1617; the gew callit Howelay 1636; the Wolf's geo 1795; Mill-gue 1894 | geo n | geo, gio, gew n | Compare SND duo n |
| kill | kill, kilne | OE cylene | n | a kiln; a kiln-shaped chasm in the rocks (linked to the sea by a tunnel) | Kiln Knowe (Kirkcudbrightshire); Kilnhill (Angus, South Lanarkshire); Kiln Rocks (Fife); Kiln Croft (Kirkcudbrightshire); Kill Burn (Midlothian); Kiln Plantation (Kirkcudbrightshire); Kilburns (Fife); Halflawkiln (Midlothian); Kiln Strand (Kirkcudbrightshire) | the Kill-croft 1627; Halfflakill 1627; Lilmkiln 1773; Halfla Kill 1839 | kill n1; S2 kill n1 | kill n1; kiln(e n; ADDS kiln(e n | |
| loan | lone | OE lane | n | a grassy strip leading to a pasture or open ground, beginning at or near a farm, village or burgh as a green where the cattle were milked; a cattle-track through arable land which links to common grazing; the part of a farm ground which leads to or adjoins the house; a street or roadway, a lane | Dobbie’s Loan (Glasgow); The Tinks’ Loan (St Andrews); Langloan (North Lanarkshire); Byresloan (Fife); Loan Knowes (Wigtownshire); Blackloanhead (Banffshire); Loanhead (Angus, Fife, Midlothian); Fairloans (Roxburghshire); Loanfoot (Fife); Loanburn (Kirkcudbrightshire) | the lone of Alanhauch 1535-36; Brochtoun lon heid 1587; Dalry lone 1591; Carcart lone heid 1664 | loan n1; S2 loan n1 | lone n1 | Compare SND loanin n and DOST loning n |
| neuk | newk, nuke | ME noke | n | a corner, a nook, a projecting corner of land; a small (triangular) piece of land; a projecting point of land, a headland or promontory; a street corner; a remote or outlying place; the angle of a stream, an inlet | Craigneuk (North Lanarkshire); East Neuk of Fife (Fife); Woodneuk (Renfrewshire); Millersneuk (Dunbartonshire); Bare Neuk (West Lothian); Dykeneuk Moss (Ayrshire); Millstone Neuk (East Lothian); Mossneuk (North Lanarkshire) | the Nuke 1607; the catchpeull newik 1614; the walneuk of Paislaye 1620; the east nook of Fife 1676 | neuk n; S2 neuk n | neuk, newk n; nuk(e, nuik, nok n | |
| skellie | skelly | ? OIr sceillec | n | a skerry, a ridge of rock on a seashore (covered at high water) | Maw Skelly (Angus); Skellies Rocks (Fife); The Skellies (Aberdeenshire); Mary's Skelly (Fife); Longskelly Point (East Lothian); Corskelly (Aberdeenshire); Cuttyskelly (Fife) | the quheit skellie 1577; Mill Skelly 1855; Westland Skelly 1855; Skelly Rocks 1864 | skellie n2 | skelly n | Compare DOST skerry n and SND skerrie 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 |
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.)
