A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Killavyne, Killavein, Kilevyne, n. Also: killoveyne. [Of obscure derivation: the mod. Sc. dial. and those of the north. counties of England have the forms keely-, keeli-, kylevine, also keelavine (sometimes regarded as f. keel Kele n.3), but Galloway (Crockett) and Cumberland have callevine, calavine.] a. Killavyne pen, a pencil, ? normally of black lead (as in the mod. dialect word) but also reid killavein pen. b. Black-lead, graphite. —a.1632 Johnston Diary (1911) I. 132.
At every sermon hence forth with my killoveyne pen to remarque the doctrines1633 Ib. 148.
The sermons quhilk I marqued with my killavyne penne1643 Edinb. Test. LX. 270 b.
Twa dossane of paper of prenes with thrie dossane of killavyne penes estimat all to iiij lib. 1664 Inventory MS. (Reg. H.).
Tuelue dusson of reid killavein pennsb. 1684 Sibbald Scot. Illustr. iii. 42.
Quibusdam black-lead, nostratibus kilevyne dicitur
