Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1725, 1791, 1853, 1964-1970
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SUCKLER, n. Sc. usages:
1. A suckling, of farm animals (m., s.Sc. 1971); also a cow giving suck. Also in Eng. dial. Also attrib. in suckler coo, -lamb.Edb. 1791 J. Learmont Poems 269:
This day we hae our suckler lambs to spane.Slk. 1964 Southern Reporter (23 April) 9:
You could sit and see the suckler kye graze the upland pasture.Rxb. 1970 Scottish Farmer (22 Aug.) 15:
The sucklers and their calves.
2. Gen. in pl.: the flowers of clover (Slg., m.Lth. 1971). Also attrib. Cf. Souk, n., 1.Sc. 1725 Ramsay Gentle Shep. iv. ii.:
Under that Tree and on the Suckler brae.Bwk. 1853 G. Johnston Botany E. Borders 54:
Trifolium pratense . . . The flowered heads are called by the common people sookies or sucklers.
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"Suckler n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 16 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/suckler>
