Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
LOCH-LIVER, n.comb. Also -libbert (Abd., Kcd. 1919 T.S.D.C.); -lubbertie, -ton; -robinson (Bnff., Bch. 1930 Fishery Board Gl.) and reduced form lubbertie (Kcd. 1919 T.S.D.C.). [′lɔx-′lɪvər, -′lʌbərtɪ(n)]
1. The jelly-fish, Medusa (Abd. 1815 J. Arbuthnot Fishes 58, -lubberton; Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 107; Abd. 1960, -liver, -luberton).
2. The jelly or fresh water alga, nostoc commune (Sc. 1880 Jam.), found in grass and rocks after rain. Cf. fallen-stars s.v. Fa, v., I. B. 9. (5), foumart's spuing s.v. Foumart, 1.
[The etym. is somewhat doubtful and complicated. The words are prob. aphetic forms of *sloch-sliver found in the transposed form sliver sloch, see Sliver, slaver, + Sloch, phlegm, mucus, from the appearance of the jelly-fish. Sloch itself however may be orig. a corruption of Selch, a seal, the jelly-fish being thought in some coast areas to be the saliva or phlegm of the seal. See selkie's bubbles s.v. Selkie. The -lubbert- forms are prob. due to assimilation with slubber (cf. Eng. slobber, a jelly-fish), and robinson is a corruption of -lubberton.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Loch-liver n. comb.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 24 Apr 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/lochliver>
