Scots is the indigenous language of Scotland. With over 1.5 million speakers, it has the status of a regional or minority language of Europe and was declared a vulnerable language by UNESCO. Many words in English have their origins in Scots. Enjoy this a selection of Scotticisms from the Chambers dictionary, famous for its Scottish heritage, its thorough coverage of obscure words, and its unique personality that comes across in a definition style that is both useful and witty.

If you’d like to know more about Scots, join Richard Simcott on The Language Podcast as he discusses the historical divergence of Scots from English and uncovers the rich tapestry of creative works that have flourished in the Scots language, joined by Len Pennie, the renowned Scots poet celebrated for her Scots word of the day on X and TikTok, and Dr. Michael Dempster, director at the Scots Language Centre.