peerie

¹ British

/ ˈpiːrɪ /

noun

a spinning top

"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

peerie ² British

/ ˈpiːrɪ /

adjective

dialect small

"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

Etymology

Origin of peerie¹

C19: perhaps from peir a Scot variant of pear, alluding to the top's shape

Origin of peerie²

C19: of uncertain origin; perhaps from Norwegian dialect piren niggardly, thin

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Up the road on the high street, baker Cherl Maclennan, who owns Fine Peerie Cakes and describes herself as a "true blue Shetlander", agrees.

From BBC

Peerie, Peery, pēr′i, n. a top spun with a string.

From Project Gutenberg

"Spare a little porridge for the Peerie Folk."

From Project Gutenberg

Before she set to work, however, she made herself some porridge, just as her sisters had done; and, just as she was going to sup them, all the little yellow-haired Peerie Folk trooped in, and climbed up on the table, and stood and stared at her.

From Project Gutenberg