Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
-SE, suff. A hypocoristic ending attached to reduced forms of various Christian (esp. female) names, as Epps (cf. Eppie, Elsie), Jinse ( < Jean), Mause ( < Mall, Moll(y)), Nanse ( < Nan, short for Anne or occas. Agnes).
[It is uncertain whether this was the original of the sim. suff. -Sie, 1. or is a back formation from it. There may be some distant connection with the -s of Eng. surnames h.ke Davis, Jones, Watts, which are found first in fem. names.]
