A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1420-1596
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Adultery, Adultry, n. Also: adulterye, -erie (adulltierie), adulteri, -ere, -arie, -ary; adulter; adultrye, -rie (adulltrie), adultre (add-). [L. adultērium. So e.m.E. (16th c.), replacing the earlier avoutrie.] Adultery.(a) c1420 Wynt. vi. 162 (a wykkid wyff that lyvyd in adultery). 1456 Hay I. 190/17 (the syn of adultery). a1500 Henr. Fab. 528,791 (adulterie). 1512 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. II. 438 (in adulteri publict). 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 138/10 (ane voman tane in adultere). a1578 Pitsc. I. 409/20 (adulltierie).(b) 1533 Boece xvii. iv. 631.
Than followis be lust of wambe, defloration of virginis, adulter and incest(c) c1515 Asloan MS I. 190/19 (he was the son of adultry); 276/10 (the veschell of adultre). 1533 Gau 63/23 (committit adultrie). 1556 Edinb. B. Rec. 248 (to vs [= use] adultre). a1568 Bannatyne MS 241 b/188 (addultre was tynsall of his lyfe). 1596 Dalr. I. 161/8 (adultrie and harletrie).
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"Adultery n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 15 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/adultery>
