Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Glossary
Auld
Old
Bairn
Baby
Ben
Hill or mountain
Blackhouse
Thick-walled traditional dwelling
Bonnie
Pretty
Bothy
Primitive cottage, hut or mountain shelter
Brae
Slope or hill
Brig
Bridge
Broch
Circular prehistoric stone fort
Burn
Small stream or brook
Byre
Shelter for cattle; cottage
Cairn
Mound of stones
CalMac
Caledonian MacBrayne ferry company
Ceilidh
(pronounced “kay-lee”) Social gathering
involving dancing, drinking, singing and storytelling
Central belt
Central Scotland between the Forth and
Clyde including Edinburgh and Glasgow
Clan
Extended family
Clearances
Evictions from the Highlands (see p.589)
Corbett
A mountain between 2500ft and 3000ft high
Covenanters
Supporters of the Presbyterian Church in
the seventeenth century
Crannog
Celtic lake or bog dwelling
Croft
Small plot of farmland with house, common in
the Highlands
Dirk
A long dagger
Dolmen
Grave chamber
Dram
Literally, one-sixteenth of a fluid ounce. Usually
refers to any small measure of whisky
Dun
Fortified mound
Firth
A wide sea inlet or estuary
Gàidhealtachd
Gaeldom, Highlands or Gaelic-
speaking area
Gillie
Personal guide used on hunting or fishing trips
Glen
Deep, narrow mountain valley
Harling
Limestone and gravel mix used to
cover buildings
Hogmanay
New Year's Eve
Howff
Meeting place; pub
HS
Historic Scotland, a government-funded
heritage organization
Jacobite
Supporter of the Stewart claim to the throne,
most famously Bonnie Prince Charlie
Kilt
Knee-length tartan skirt worn by Highland men
Kirk
Church
Laird
Landowner; aristocrat
Law
Rounded hill
Links
Grassy coastal land; coastal golf course
Loch
Lake
Lochan
Little loch
Mac/Mc
These prefixes in Scottish surnames derive
from the Gaelic, meaning “son of”. In Scots “Mac” is
used for both sexes. In Gaelic “Nic” is used for women:
Donnchadh Mac Aoidh is Duncan MacKay, Iseabail
Nic Aoidh is Isabel MacKay
Machair
Sandy, grassy, lime-rich coastal land, gener-
ally used for grazing
Manse
O
cial home of a Presbyterian minister
Mercat Cross
lit. Market Cross
Munro
A mountain over 3000ft high
Munro-bagging
The sport of trying to climb as many
Munros as possible
NTS
The National Trust for Scotland, a
heritage organization
Peel
Fortified tower, built to withstand Border raids
Pend
Archway or vaulted passage
Presbyterian
The form of Church government used
in the o
cial (Protestant) Church of Scotland, estab-
lished by John Knox during the Reformation
RIB
Rigid inflatable boat
Runrig
A common form of farming in which separate
ridges are cultivated by different occupiers under
joint agreement
Sassenach
Derives from the Gaelic
Sasunnach
,
meaning literally “Saxon”; used by Scots to describe
the English
Scottish Baronial
Style of architecture favoured by the
Scottish land-owning class featuring stepped gables
and round turrets
Sheila na gig
Female fertility symbol, usually a naked
woman displaying her vulva
Shinty
Stick and ball game played in the Highlands,
with similarities to hockey
Smiddy
Smithy
SNH
Scottish Natural Heritage, a government-funded
conservation body
SNP
Scottish National Party
Sporran
Leather purse worn in front of, or at the side
of, a kilt
Tartan
Check-patterned woollen cloth
Thane
A landowner of high rank; the chief of a clan
Trews
Tartan trousers
Wee
Small
Wee Frees
Followers of the Free Presbyterian or Free
Church of Scotland
Wynd
Narrow lane
Yett
Gate or door