Scottish

1 of 3

adjective

Scot·​tish ˈskä-tish 

: of, relating to, or characteristic of Scotland, Scots, or the Scots

Scottishness

ˈskä-tish-nəs 

noun

Scottish

2 of 3

noun (1)

: scots

Scottishness

3 of 3

noun (2)

Scot·​tish·​ness

plural -es

: scotchness

Examples of Scottish in a Sentence

Adjective

He spoke with a Scottish accent.

Robert Burns was a great Scottish poet.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

My dad’s 60th birthday was coming up, and as an avid whisky drinker with a particularly sharp nose, his dream trip has always been to explore the coastline of Islay, a Scottish island famed worldwide for its smoky, peated single malt whiskies. — Hayley Domin, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Sep. 2026

Scottish nationalists believe support for independence is rising Scotland tried unsuccessfully to break away in 2014, with voters rejecting a referendum 55% to 45%. — Brian Melley, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026

Noun

Dan Neil scored a double and Rangers beat Celtic 3-0 in the first Old Firm derby of the season — in the Scottish league cup quarterfinals. — ABC News, 13 Sep. 2026

The trailer featuring Mohammed and Winkleman was filmed at Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands, home of the BBC series. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Scottes Scotsmen

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (1)

1759, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1681, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing Scottish

• Scottish deerhound
• Scottish Gaelic
• Scottish rite
• Scottish terrier

Kids Definition

Scottish

1 of 2 adjective

Scot·​tish ˈskät-ish 

: of, relating to, or characteristic of Scotland, the people of Scotland, or the Scots language

Scottish

2 of 2 noun

: scots entry 2