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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| den, dean | den, dene | OE denu | n | a hollow with sloping sides (often with a rivulet), a narrow (wooded) ravine or valley, a dingle | Den Burn (Aberdeenshire); Blakedean (Roxburghshire); Cardenden (Fife); Dean Village (Edinburgh); Denholm (Roxburghshire); Lambden (Berwickshire); Aikendean (Midlothian); Milldeans (Fife); Hassendean (Roxburghshire) | Lummesdene c1100; Botheldene 1159; Ellesdene 1218; Strikerden 1275; Denside 1304 | den n1 | den n1; dene n1 | |
| hollin | holine | OE holegn | n | a holly bush | Hollandbush (Stirlingshire); Hollinhirst (Dumfriesshire); Hollin Burn (Aberdeenshire); Holland Isle (Kirkcudbrightshire); Hollings (Stirlingshire); Hollen Bush (Wigtownshire) | Holenbus 1620; Hollinbusch 1644; Hollings 1742; Hollinheartston 1755 | hollin n | holin(e, holyn(e 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 |
| spital | spittal | ME spitel | n | a hospice or shelter for travellers (in mountainous country); a house or place of refuge for the sick or destitute; land whose revenue supported a hospital; the hospital itself | Spital (Dunbartonshire); The Spittal Haugh (Aberdeenshire); Spittalburn (Angus); Spittal of Glenmuick (Aberdeenshire); Spittalrig (East Lothian); Spital Shore (Ross and Cromarty); Spittal (East Lothian); Port of Spittal (Wigtownshire) | Spetelcrag 1208-14; Spyttalhillis 1310; Spittaltoun 1565-6; Spittellis Hospitell 1641; Spittall Haugh 1721 | spital n | spit(t)al(l, spit(t)ell n | See also DOST hospitale n |
| hunter | huntar | OE hunta | n | a huntsman, a hunter | Hunterland (Midlothian); Hunters Hill (Kirkcudbrightshire); Hunterfield (Midlothian); Hunter Hill (Selkirkshire); Hunterlees (South Lanarkshire) | Hunterisford c1220; Ormehunterisland 1359; Hunterhill 1541; Huntarseit 1543; Hunterland 1591 | hunt v | huntar, hunter n1 | |
| 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 | |
| king | king | OE cyning | n | a king, the king | Kingsknowe (Edinburgh); King's Park (Stirling); Kingsmills (Inverness); Kingslinks (Aberdeen); Kingsbarns (Fife); Kingsmuir (Angus); Kingston Grange (Midlothian) | Kingeswell c1200; Kingessete c1200; Kyngeston 1221; Kynggesside a1300; Kynggewell a1300; Kyngestrete c1330 | king n; S1 king n; S2 king n | king n; ADDS king n | |
| lamb | lam | OE lamb | n | a lamb, a young sheep | Lambhill (Glasgow); Lambden (Berwickshire); Lamblair Edge (Roxburghshire); Lamb Island (Perthshire); Lamb Rig (Dumfriesshire); (The) Lamb (Firth of Forth); Lamblair Hill (Roxburghshire); Lamblair Knowe (Dumfriesshire) | Lambremore c1160; Lambedene 1214-49; Lambhilles 1666; Lamb-Croft 1667 | lamb n1 | lam, lamb(e n | |
| ha | hall | OE heall, hall | n | a large and spacious building, the residence of a magnate; a farm-house (occupied by the farmer himself rather than the cottars) | Sandyha (Orkney); Temple Hall (Berwickshire); Gallowha (Orkney); Clatterha (Angus); Thornyhaw (Fife); Redhall (Dumfriesshire, Midlothian); Cradlehall (Inverness); Hallyards (Midlothian) | Blachall 1329; Halton 1345-50; Tempilishalle 1367; Haw off Lythquow 1489 | ha n; S1 ha n; S2 ha n | hall, haw n; ADDS hall n | See also DOST hal(l)is n and halis, hailis n1 |
| water | wattir, watter | OE wæter | n | a large stream (between a burn and a river in size), a tributary of a river; a river valley; a lake, a sheet of water | Howe Water (Aberdeenshire); Water of Luce (Wigtownshire); Whiteadder Water (Berwickshire); Water of Leith (Edinburgh); Markie Water (Aberdeenshire); Waterside (Dumfriesshire, Wigtownshire); Eye Water (Berwickshire); Water of Tarf (Angus) | Blacwater 13thC; Watirtoun 1342; watir of Dee 15thC; Wattirheid 1649 | water n; S1 water n; S2 water n | wa(t)tir n | |
| lowp | lowp, loup | ON hlaup | n | a leap, a jumping place, a site ascribed to a legendary leap; a shelf in a river bed over which the water cascades or by which fish may ascend by leaping, a waterfall | Buck Loup (Wigownshire); Fairy Loup (Dumfriesshire); Downie's Loup (Stirlingshire); Loup of Kilfeddar (Wigtownshire); Loup of Fintry (Stirlingshire); Matty's Loup (Wigtownshire); Berry's Loup (Aberdeenshire); Loups of Penwhirn (Wigtownshire); White Lairds Loup (Wigtownshire) | Maiden's loup 1629; Wallace loup 1638; the Loups of Kenny 1795; The Strait-loup 1856 | lowp n; S2 lowp n | lowp, loup n1; lope, loip n | |
| kame | kame | OE camb | n | a long, narrow, steep-sided mound or ridge, a hill-ridge; a small peninsula, a narrow isthmus | Kame of Isbister (Shetland); Kaimflat (Roxburghshire); Kame of Hoy (Orkney); Easter Kame (Shetland); Kaimes (Fife); Kaimhill (Aberdeenshire); Kaim Head (Edinburgh); Kaimend (Roxburghshire); Kame of Riven Noup (Shetland) | Camis 1533; Kems 1654; Kaims Hill 1773; Kaimes 1781 | kame n; S1 kame n; S2 kame n | kame n; came n; kem, keme n | |
| moss | mos | OE mos | n | a marsh, a bog, a tract of soft wet ground; a bog from which peats are dug, a moorland on an estate allocated to the tenants for cutting fuel | Mosspark (Glasgow); Moss of Cruan (Orkney); Moss of Wester (Caithness); Moss Croft (Aberdeenshire); Red Moss (Caithness); Hallmoss (Aberdeenshire) | Mosplat c 1220; Byermos 1219-33; Grenemos c1300-30; Ridhalchis Mowse 1475 | moss n; S2 moss n | mos n | |
| 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? |
| meedow | medow | OE mǣdwe | n | a meadow, (marshy) grassland which is mown for use as hay | Meadowfield (Edinburgh); Greenmeadow (Shetland); Meadowgreens (Stirlingshire); Broadmeadows (Selkirkshire); Meadowbank (Edinburgh); Fostermeadow (Dumfriesshire); Meadowhead (Fife); The Meadows (Edinburgh) | Gretrigesmedue c1170; Meduflat a1200; Brademedue 1200-02; Hollemedu a1250; medowschott of Restalrig 1579; The Medowburne 1632 | meedow n | medow n | See also DOST medow-skift n and medow-ward n |
| mill | miln, mylne | OE myln | n | a mill, a corn-mill | Millburn (Inverness); Mill of Gairn (Aberdeenshire); Waulkmill (Morayshire); Kingsmills (Inverness); Milnquarter (Stirlingshire); Loch Mill (West Lothian); Little Mill (Aberdeenshire); Mill Knowe (Argyllshire); Milnthird (Kirkcudbrightshire) | mulneburne 1165-1214; Milnehalech c 1200; milnecroft 1227; Le mylne crofte 1428; the mylne of Kynnabir 1467 | mill n; S1 milln | miln, mill n | |
| hillock | hillok | ME hilloc | n | a mound, a small hill | Todhillock (Aberdeenshire); Doghillock (Stirlingshire); Smithyhillock (Aberdeenshire); Cutty Hillock (Fife); Peat Hillock (Aberdeenshire); Burnthillock (Aberdeenshire); Roundhillock (Aberdeenshire) | Lammyrhillok 1499; Gallow hillok 1594; Hillok 1600; Sleipie Hillok 1628 | hill n | hillok n; ADDS hillok n | |
| mouth | mouth, mow | OE mūða | n | a mouth; the mouth, outfall or lower end of a stream, river, estuary, or inland sea; the entrance to a harbour | Lossiemouth (Morayshire); Grangemouth (Stirlingshire); Powmouth (Angus); Eyemouth (Berwickshire); Burnmouth (Angus, Ayrshire); Fordmouth (Angus) | Cramesmude 1097-1107; Brockesmuth 1165-1214; Twedemud 1217-27; Salwildmuthe 1214-49 | mouth n; S1 mouth n; S2 mouth n | mouth n; mow n2 | |
| gill | gil | ON gil | n | a narrow valley with steep, rocky sides; a ravine, a gully | Raegill (Dumfriesshire); Stanygill (Roxburghshire); Haregills (Dumfriesshire); Bowman's Gill (Midlothian); Howgill (Dumfriesshire) | Rauengille a1238; Smalgyllis 1373; Cowsowgill 1481-82; Hairgills 1637 | gill n2; S1 gill n2; S2 gill n2 | gil(l, gyll n1 | |
| wall | well | OE wælla, wiella | n | a natural spring of water which forms a pool or spring; a source of water with medicinal, miraculous or supernatural properties, a holy well; a tide race in the sea | Ninewells (Dundee); Wellheads (Banffshirre); Craigswalls (Berwickshire); Drywells (Banffshire); Mungo's Walls (Berwickshire); Walton (Fife); St Mungo's Well (Aberdeenshire); Billerwell (Roxburghshire); Black Walls (Fife); Springwells (Banffshire); Blindwells (Angus) | Macchuswel 1159; Kalde Welle c1190; Kersewelle 1195; Blynd Wollis 1203-22; Creswel 1214-49; Caldwell 1294 | wall n; S2 wall n | wel(l, wal(l, wol(l n | |
| hause, hass | hals | OE hals, ON hals | n | a neck; a defile, a narrow passage between hills, the head of a pass; a narrow neck of water; a narrow connecting ridge between two heights on a watershed’ | Packman's Hass (Peeblesshire); Broomhass (Kirkcudbrightshire); Hass o' Ramna Geo (Orkney); Watchy Hass (Dumfriesshire); Peat Hass (Kirkcudbrightshire); The Hawse (Edinburgh); Mennock Hass (Dumfriesshire); Dub of Hass (Kirkcudbrightshire); West Hass (Orkney); Hass (Kirkcudbrightshire); Guile Hass (Dumfriesshire); Hause Burn (Kirkcudbrightshire) | Cairn-brae-hawse 1822; Hankhass 1832; The Hawse 1852; Broomhass 1852; Mennock-hass 1874 | hause n; S2 hause n | hals n; ADDS hals n | |
| flush, flash | flosche, flusch | OE *flæsc, ON flask | n | a piece of boggy ground (where the water frequently lies on the surface), a swampy place, a pool of water in a field | Flush Hill (Wigtownshire); Flosh (Dumfriesshire); Flass (Berwickshire, Fife); The Flashes (Midlothian); Floshend Loch (Dumfriesshire); Flesh Glen (Fife); The Floss (Selkirkshire); Foulflush (Wigtownshire); Flass Well (Berwickshire); Isle of Flosh (Dumfriesshire); Flesh Cleugh (Midlothian); Flask Wood (Dumfriesshire); Flosh Burn (Roxburghshire); Floshknowe (Dumfriesshire) | Flas 1388-89; Flashill 1531; Flasche 1550-51; The Flass 1569; Floshe 1569; Flask 1653; Flass 1654; Flash 1808 | flush n; flash n1 | flosche n; flusch, fluche n, flus, flous, n | |
| quoy | quy | ON kví | n | a piece of land (originally part of the common pasture) which had been enclosed and cultivated as part of a farm’ | Quoy Sinclair (Orkney); Quoys of Reiss (Caithness); Mossquoy (Orkney); Quoy Park (Orkney); Quoyhenry (Orkney) | Sanct Margarettis quoy 1591; quoygrahame 1634; St Katharein's quoyes 1706; Castle quoy 1766 | quoy n; S1 quoy n | quoy n2; quy, qui n2 | See also DOST quyland n and quoyland n |
| haugh | hauch, halch | OE halh | n | a piece of level alluvial ground on the banks of a river, river- meadow land | Carterhaugh (Angus); Haughend (Perthshire); The Spittal Haugh (Aberdeenshire); Rosehaugh (Morayshire, Ross and Cromarty); Haugh of Ballechin (Perthshire); The Haugh (Inverness); Haughhead (South Lanarkshire) | le Haulch 1373; le Quenys Hauche 1457; the halch of Tannadys 1494; Hervis Haucht 1546; Barhaugh 1596 | haugh n; S1 haugh n; S2 haugh n | hauch n1; ADDS hauch n1; halch n | |
| mire | myre | ON mýrr, ME mire | n | a piece of swampy ground, a bog, a morass; a peat bog | Craigmire (Aberdeenshire); Myreside (Angus, East Lothian, Moray); Black Myre (Aberdeenshire); Halymyres (Kincardinechaire); Hartwoodmyres (Selkirkshire); Whitemyres (Aberdeen); Greenmyre (Aberdeenshire); Myreton (Angus) | Wytteriggemyre c1200; Falumireside 13thC; Seggymir 1302; Hwytemyr c1320; Red(e)myre 1348; ly Futyis myre 1463 | mire n1 | myr(e, mir(e 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.)
