Scottish Winter Words

Scotland has three main languages - English, Scottish Gaelic (a Celtic language), which has official status as the national language of Scotland, and Scots (a west Germanic language). There are some fabulous Scottish words especially associated with Winter.

Scotland has its own word meaning "cosy, nested and warm", a bit like the Danish Hygge: seasgair, pronounced 'shiss-kihr', means feeling warm, dry, cosy and snug. It’s a Gaelic version of the Scots word, coorie. Everyone loves snuggling up in front the fire with a hot chocolate, and what better excuse than the Scottish winter weather?!

Baltic means freezing cold and is commonly used across Scotland and the increasingly the rest of the UK too. Inspired by the chilly Baltic sea and surrounding region.

“It’s blowing a hoolie,” is a phrase that is supposedly derived from the Orkney Scots word ‘hoolan’. Hoolan describes a strong gale wind.

Snaw is just another word for snow.

Smirr describes a fine rain, which is a common weather phenomenon in the Glen and across Scotland. The Scots poet George Campbell Hay wrote a hauntingly beautiful poem ‘A Smoky Smirr o Rain’.

Spitters can be used to describe small drops or flakes of wind-driven rain or snow. Spitters of rain or snow.

Oorlich describes damp, cold and chilly weather!

Dreich is perhaps a favourite Scottish winter word. Dreich describes weather that makes outside look grey, dull, gloomy and very uninviting.

The Northern Lights can often be seen across Scotland through the winter and in Shetland they’re known as the ‘Mirrie Dancers’. Mirr means ‘to shimmer’ but, as it sounds similar to the word merry, they’re often called the ‘Merry Dancers’ in the north of the mainland. In Gaelic folklore, the spectacle is known as ‘Na Fir-chlis' or ‘the nimble men’, as they were once thought to be faeries dancing in the sky.

‘Gloaming’ is one of my favourite words in Scots; it describes the golden light that occurs around dusk, particularly in autumn and winter. It comes from the old English word for twilight: ‘glom’, and it’s effect when it settles on Scotland’s landscapes creates an otherworldly light. Because the winter sun is so low in the sky throughout the day, Scotland is blessed with spectacular winter skies and scenery. 

The Smoky Smirr o Rain

George Campbell Hay

A misty mornin’ doon the shore wi a hushed an’ caller air,

an’ ne’er a breath frae East or West tie sway the rashes there,

a sweet, sweet scent frae Laggan’s birks gaed breathin’ on its ane,

their branches hingin beaded in the smoky smirr o rain.

The hills aroond war silent wi the mist alang the braes.

The woods war derk an’ quiet wi dewy, glintin’ sprays.

The thrushes didna raise for me, as I gaed by alane,

but a wee, wae cheep at passin’ in the smoky smirr o rain.

Rock an’ stane lay glisterin’ on aa the heichs abune.

Cool an’ kind an’ whisperin’ it drifted gently doon,

till hill an’ howe war rowed in it, an’ land an’ sea war gane.

Aa was still an’ saft an’ silent in the smoky smirr o rain.

Included in a collection of George Campbell Hay's poetry called Wind on Loch Fyne, which is just down the road from Glendaruel.