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.
MORMAER, n. Also mormaor; maormor. A high steward of one of the ancient Celtic provinces of Scotland. Hist. [′mormər]Sc. 1807 G. Chalmers Caledonia I. 405:
He became maormor of Moray, during the infancy of Lulach.Sc. 1882 Blackwood's Mag. (March) 350:
The title of earl having been substituted for mormaer when Normanism and feudalism made their way across the Border.Bnff. 1890 Trans. Bnffsh. Field Club 13:
The monastery depended for its support upon lands which were given by one mormaer, and might be recalled by another.Sc. 1900 A. Lang Hist. Scot. I. 169:
Macbeth being introduced as a king, by the English Chronicle, before he was even a mormaor.Sc. 1924 J. Mackinnon Constit. Hist. 70:
Mormaer literally means “sea-steward,” from mor, sea, not mōr, great, and maer, an officer. The office appears to have been originally connected with coast defence. We have the phrase Comes Littoris, apparently the later equivalent of Mormaer, and the title Mormaer was later transformed into Comes, earl.
Hence derivs. mormaordom, -ship, the office or stewartship of a mormær.Sc. 1837 W. F. Skene Highlanders Scot. (1902) II. 365:
The Rikis or districts in Scotland mentioned in the Sagas . . . are exactly synonymous with maormorships.Sc. 1860 W. Anderson Sc. Nation I. 54:
Edgar had bestowed on his cousin the maormordom of Athol.
