Highland fling

noun

: a lively Scottish folk dance

Word History

First Known Use

1804, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of Highland fling was in 1804

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

highlander

Highland fling

Highland Park

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Highland fling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Highland%20fling. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

Highland fling

noun

: a lively Scottish folk dance

Popular in Grammar & Usage

More Words You Always Have to Look Up

Using Bullet Points ( • )

Should that word have a hyphen?

Words You Always Have to Look Up

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Popular in Wordplay

Highland fling

noun

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

More from Merriam-Webster on Highland fling

More from Merriam-Webster

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the Day

galumph