Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
CUTTIE, Cuttye, n.2 Applied to birds of the auk family, esp. 1. the black guillemot, Cepphus grytle (Crm. 1911 D. Finlayson W.-L., cuttye; Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn.), 2. the razor-bill, Alca torda (Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn.), and 3. the common gull; the herring gull. [′kʌt(j)i]1. w.Sc. 1807 Tour to Arran in Scots Mag. (Nov.) 821:
On the passage I observed several Black Guillemots . . . which the boatmen called Cutties.3. Fif. 1985 Christopher Rush A Twelvemonth and a Day 263:
I have made no attempt to let the sounds of the East Neuk's rich old dialects into these pages. They would not be understood, even by the young Fifers of today, who call a gull a gull, and not a 'clow' or a 'coorie' or a 'cuttie' or a 'maw'.Fif. 1992 Fife Advertiser 8 May :
Common and herring gulls were called cutsies in Cellardyke, cutties in Pittenweem, and maws in St Monans.
