Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
MALLOCK, n. Also mallick; mela(k); mallow, maalo; mailo. The grass wrack or sea grass, Zostera marina (Ork. 1808 Jam., 1866 Edm. Gl., 1929 Marw., mallick, maalo, mailo); the mud in which this plant grows.Ork. 1910 Old-Lore Misc. III. i. 5:
Mela or Melak, a green seaweed like grass, six or nine inches long, with small shell-fish attached to it, upon which wild duck feed.Ork. 1914 M. Spence Flora Orcad. 74:
Zostera marina. Grass wrack. The soft, black mud in which it grows is called “mallock” in Deerness.
