airt

[ airt; Scot. eyrt ]

/ ɛərt; Scot. eɪrt /

Chiefly Scot.

noun

a direction.

verb (used with object)

to point out the way; direct; guide.

Nearby words

Also airth [airth; Scot. eyrth] /ɛərθ; Scot. eɪrθ/.

Origin of airt

1400–50; late Middle English (Scots) a(i)rt < Scots Gaelic àird point, quarter of the compass; cognate with Greek árdis arrowhead. The borrowing of Scots airt from Scots Gaelic àird is exact since Scots Gaelic d is totally voiceless and àird sounds like English arch

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for airt

There's a gude and a bad side to everything; a' the airt is to find it out.
The Proverbs of Scotland|Alexander Hislop
But they are all away, one to every airt, and the house is very lonely without any boys in it.
The Wizard's Son, Vol. 2(of 3)|Margaret Oliphant
But in what direction shall we go, callants—towards what airt shall we turn our faces?
Recreations of Christopher North, Volume I (of 2)|John Wilson
I telt ye the wind was shiftin' its airt, an' that ye wad ha'e a bla' doon.
Betty Grier|Joseph Waugh

Hae ye considered the airt ye ought now to take, for it canna be that ye'll think of biding in this neighbourhood!
Ringan Gilhaize|John Galt

British Dictionary definitions for airt

airt

airth (ɛəθ, Scottish erθ)

/ (ɛət, Scottish ert) /

noun

Scot a direction or point of the compass, esp the direction of the wind; quarter; region

Word Origin for airt

C14: from Scots Gaelic aird point of the compass, height

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012