Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Laureat, a. (n.) Also: -eate, -iat, lawreat, -iat(e. [ME. laureat, -eate, -iat (Chaucer), lawreat, L. laureātus crowned with laurel.]

1. Of a person: Worthy of the laurel crown symbolizing distinction or pre-eminence, pre-eminent. c1500-c1512 Dunb. vii. 4.
Most wyse, most valyeand, most laureat hie wictour, Onto the sterris vpheyt is thyne honour a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 524.
Judas, jow, juglour, lollard laureate 1580 Hume Promine 134.
Thy liuelie licht, O leidar laureat, All Christiane men may cleirlie knaw and se

b. Supreme as a poet, worthy of a laurel crown for excellence in poetry. a1500 Henr. Fab. 58.
Esope … In gay meter as poete lawriate Be figure wrait his buik Ib. 1369.
O maister Esope, poet laureate c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 262.
O morall Gower, and Ludgate laureate [M. laureat]

2. transf. Of speech or writings: Worthy of the laurel wreath of poetry, supremely eloquent. a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 28.
Ramowd rebald, thow fall doun att the roist, My laureat lettres at thé and I lowis 1535 Stewart 1072.
This Coilus, that wes full of dissait, With goldin toung and lippis laureat Ib. 2141.
Witht laureat language … His orisoun begouth he on this wys Ib. 11603. c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iii. 17.
Luifsum ladies, of language laureat

3. Graduate, admitted to a University degree. Also b. n., a graduate. 1634 Edinb. Test. LVI. 263.
I will … my eldest sone … to attend the scoolles and college till he atteane to the dignitie of ane lawriate clark 1655 Argyll Synod II. 87.
Anent the accepting of men for the use of the highland congregations … though they be not lawriat bor qualified in tongues or sciences ? 1662 Ray in P. H. Brown Early Trav. 237.]
[(In Glasgow are) about 40 students of the first year which they call obedients, … and the fourth, whom they call laureat or magistersb. 1629 Lowther Jrnl. 36.
[The first year of students (of the College of Edinburgh) be called scholars [etc.] … the 4th bachelors, the next degree laureates or mastees of arts, and no further Ib. 37.]
At the end of every year they analyze their whole year's work, when they go out laureats they repeat their last 4 years analyses and they then be their own tutors

4. Laureat letteris (tr. L. litterae laureatae), in ancient Rome, a dispatch (bound with laurel leaves) announcing a victory. 1533 Bell. Livy II. 191/2.
Come laureat letteris fra Posthumius schawing all this victorie as it was fallin to Romanis