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.
-O, suff. Also -oo, -oe, -ow. [-o; Ork. -u]
1. esp. freq. in Ork., representing the O.N. acc. masc. ending in -a, as in arvo s.v. Arvie, geyro s.v. Gair, n.1, gulloo s.v. Gully, n., Klavo, leero s.v. Lyre, or the O.N. fem. ending in -a, as in bergilto s.v. Bergel(l), bikko s.v. Bick, n.1, Brinno, Dusso, Gildro, Hellio, prob. also Kwinlo. This ending has been extended to pet-names of cows, e.g. Brando, Herto, hornoo s.v. Horna, and to words of non-Norse orig., e.g. Kimmo, norrow s.v. Knur, knorlo s.v. Knurl, and as an alternative to the Sc. dim. suff. -Ie, -Ock, e.g. gaavlo s.v. Gavelock, n.2, feetoo s.v. Fittie, 4.; 2. as a hypocoristic or child's dim., e.g. jacko s.v. Jack, n.1, 4., geingo s.v. Geing, kiddo s.v. Kid, n.1; 3. as a reduced form: †(1) of -Och, II. 2. (1), with augmentative force in Horso, Manno (see Trans. Soc. Antiq. Scot. (1792) 418); (2) of Gael. -ach in Kyloe and in many placenames of Gael. derivation, e.g. Aberlemno, Cardno, Craigo, Ratho, to be distinguished from the reduced form of Heuch in s.Sc., as in Kelso, Minto, Stobo; †(3) of Fr. -é, in Dinto, Feauto.
