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.

Identical twins Lee and Liam Myers have been causing double takes at emergencies across the Scottish Borders for more than a decade.

From BBC • May 19, 2026

The Scottish Greens have pledged to support newly-elected Manivannan as they now look to apply for a graduate visa to ensure they can stay in Scotland.

From BBC • May 19, 2026

Overall, the Scottish Greens had 15 MSPs elected to Holyrood.

From BBC • May 19, 2026

He described the DRS scheme's impact as "complicated", highlighting the issues faced by the Scottish government in recent years.

From BBC • May 18, 2026

It was another line from that Scottish play whose title cannot be spoken.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

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