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, 1590
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Commonalté, -alty(e, n. Also: commouneltie. [ME. comonaltie (15th c.), com(m)unalté, OF. comunalté: cf. Communaté.] A community; the body of common people. c1420 Wynt. viii. 5344 (W).
Than with oure wardane tretit he, For to sauf his commonalte [R. comwnate] 1590 Rec. Convention of Royal Burghs I. 313.
Becaus thay … ar onlye chosin be ane few number of thair awin freyndis priuatlye, without … conventioun of commouneltie 1590 Ib. 332.
[The] commissioneris for the said toun of Abirdene … in name of the baillies, counsall, … and gryt pairt of the commonaltye thairof
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"Commonalté n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 15 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/commonalte>
