Scottish

American

[skot-ish] / ˈskɒt ɪʃ /

adjective

Also of or relating to Scotland, its people, or their language.

noun

the people of Scotland.
Scots.

Scottish British

/ ˈskɒtɪʃ /

adjective

of, relating to, or characteristic of Scotland, its people, their Gaelic language, or their English dialect

"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

noun

(functioning as plural) the Scots collectively

"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

Commonly Confused

See Scotch.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of Scottish

First recorded before 900; Middle English, from Late Latin Scott(us) Scot + -ish ¹; replacing Old English Scyttisc

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.

See Examples For:

Scottish

The jobs were the subject of the Scottish Daily Mail, external front page voicing concerns over the creative roles.

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

She was originally from Mutare in eastern Zimbabwe, had graduated with a PhD from Dundee University, and had recently started working for Scottish Water.

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

The Scottish government has committed to building a new prison to replace Barlinnie and construction is under way.

From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026

Some visitors liken the landscape to the Scottish highlands, despite its tropical climate.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

Not English, anyway, but I don’t think it’s very Scottish, either.

From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023