Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1746, 1836, 1931-1947
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WASTEL, n. Also wastell, wastle; wostle (Mry. 1980s); wesstell; wassel, wassell (Sc. 1820 Scott Monastery xvi.). A kind of bread, scone or cake baked with the finest flour (Rxb. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XI. 207, wassel). Obs. exc. hist. in Eng. Also attrib.; now chiefly in Mry., a large wholemeal scone made of both oatmeal and whole flour (Mry. 1825 Jam., wastell, Mry. 1973); nonce erron. = festive fare, prob. by confusion with wassail (Slg. 1825 W. Hone Every-day Book II. 20, wassel). [wɑsl]Sc. 1746 Lyon in Mourning (S.H.S.) II. 169:
To short bread, on caike and 2 Wesstells, . . . 4s 6d.Mry. 1836 J. Grant Penny Wedding 31:
Buckie haddocks (a very fine salt fish), and wastles (a substantial cake), composed of half flour and half oatmeal.Mry. 1931 J. Geddie Characters 161:
To bake "floury scones," or, from the second or third flour, turn out such dainties as "wastles" at Christmas time.Mry. 1947 Scots Mag. (Aug.) 344:
That most delightful of scones, the "Findhorn wastel."
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"Wastel n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 1 Apr 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/wastel>
