Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
CAIRNGORM, -GORUM, n. Also carngorum. A semi-precious stone of a yellow or brown colour, see first quot. Gen.Sc. and now accepted as St.Eng. Also attrib. [′kern′gorm]Sc. 1825 Jam.2:
Cairngorm, cairngorum. A yellow-coloured crystal, denominated from a hill in Inverness-shire where it is found. This has been generally called the Scottish Topaz. But it now gives place to another crystal of a far harder quality found near Invercauld.Sc. 1852 H. Miller Schools and Schoolm. (1858) v.:
I found a lively little stream, brown, but clear as a cairngorm of the purest water.Abd. 1759 Abd. Jnl. (7 Aug.):
Gold Seals with Carngorum and Cornelian Stones.Mearns 1809 G. Robertson Gen. View Agric. Kcd. 45:
That most beautiful of all the Scotch gems, the Topaz, or Cairngorm, is found among the Grampians in this county.
