Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

COSFIT, Cossit, n. The starfish, Asterias vulgaris. Pl. cosfeet (Mry.¹ 1925), cosfits (Bnff.⁹ c.¹927). The form cossit is given for Crm. in Dial. Avoch and Crm. (1912) 6.Abd. 1932 (per Mry.⁴):
In their own way these old fishermen appear to divide the family of starfishes roughly into three classes; the light coloured ones (or starfish as a whole) are known by the name of “Cosfeet.”