A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1418-1473, 1526-1582
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Subprior, Sup(p)rior, n. Also: subpriore, -preor, suppriour(e, suppryo(u)r. [ME and e.m.E. subprior (Ayenbite), -priour (1540), also suppriour (Manning), suppryour (Caxton), OF souprieur (1270 in Larousse), subpriour, suppriour (14th c. in OED), med. L. sub-, supprior (12th c. in Latham); Prior n.1] An assistant or deputy prior.Freq. const. of an abbey, etc. 1418 Liber Melros II 531.
Dompnus Robertus Thyn supprior monasterij … de Melros c1420 Wynt. ix 2167.
Dene Wilyeame Nory supprioure [of St. Andrews] 1428 Liber Aberbr. 127a (Jam., s.v. Den n.).
Suppriour that tyme off the abbay of Aberbroth 1448 Reg. Dunferm. 309.
Subpriore 1473 Reg. Cupar A. I 180.
The said tenandis sal haue thar lonyng with sic lik fredoum as it wes ordand befor the Abbot Suprior and graunter 1526 Reg. Privy S. I 524/1.
Dene Thomas Newtoun, sub-prior of Driburch 1543 Elgin Rec. I 77.
Ane devoit fader … subpreor of the freris predicatouris of this burgh 1543 Reg. Cupar A. II 222.
Sup-priour a1568 Bannatyne MS 159a/98.
Reklesly on thair sawll religioun can thay tak Priour and suppriour sone thay thame mak 1558-66 Knox I 195.
The suppriour answered, ‘I came nott hear as a judge, but only familiarlie to talk’ 1558-66 Knox II 128.
Mr. Johne Winram Suppriour of Sanctandrois a1578 Pitsc. II 56/27.
Dene Johnne Winram suppryour of the abbay and Doctour of theologie a1578 Pitsc. II 76/15.
Suppryor 1582 Misc. Stair Soc. I 104.
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"Subprior n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/subprior>
