A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1420, 1475-1641, 1695
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Gud(e)fader, -father, n. Also: gudfadyr, -fadir, guid-, goodfather. [Gude a.] A father-in-law.(a) c1420 Wynt. vii. 1362 (C).
Thar he becoyme that kyngis man, As did his gudfadyr [R. gud syre] befor than c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace v. 925.
His gudfadyr he knew rycht wondyr weyll c1515 Asloan MS I. 224/20.
Thai said that he gaf the keping of the castell of Wrquhart till his gud fader 1513 Doug. xiii. vi. 187.
The sam kyng Latyn, my gud fader ald, Sall hys impyre and venerabill ceptour haid 1533 Bell. Livy II. 88/16.
Than Ti. Quintius … creat Aulus Posthumius his gudefader dictatour 1568 Haddington Corr. 115.
Your gude fader and your wyff, … thocht it gude to superceid the calling of the lard of Dundas 1590 Criminal Trials I. 229.
The said Johnne, his guidfader, with his boy, wer only saulff be the moyan of his mother(b) 1535 Stewart 27262.
Schir Modred, … And his gude-father nobill Guallanus 1572-5 Diurnal of Occurrents 41.
The lord Maxwell was his guidfather 1596 Dalr. I. 206/28.
Sche commandet her gudfather … to obteine the cheif roume efter her in Britannie 1624 St. A. Baxter Books 86.
Sayand oppinlie That he cause[d] … punishe him and Alexander Thomsoun, his gude father 1641 Kirkcudbr. Min. Bk. 170.
The legall testament of the umquhile Johne Ewart, his goodfather 1695 Corshill Baron Ct. 189.
The persuer upon oath deponed that he receaved noe money … from … his goodfather
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"Gudfader n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 15 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/gudefader>
