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: 1499-1535
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Symphony, n. Also: sympheony. [ME symphanye (c1290), symphonye (Wyclif), e.m.E. symphonie (1567), symphony (1602), F. symphonie (c1155 in Larousse), late L. symphonia a kind of musical instrument, f. the Gk.] a. A musical instrument of some kind; ? a hurdy-gurdy, ? a set of bagpipes. Cf. Symphio(u)n n. b. A harmonious musical sound. —a. c1520-c1535 Nisbet Luke xv 25.
Quhen he com and nerit to the hous he herde a symphony and a croude 1535 Stewart 12399.
With lute and pype, witht harp and symphony —b. a1500 Henr. Orph. 231.
And of thir sex, suete and dilicius, Ryght consonant fyve hevynly symphonyis Componyt ar, as clerkis can deuise a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 9.
Haill, riall King … Haill, spice of taist, to heir sueit sympheony
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"Symphony n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/symphony>
