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.
SPOTTIE, n. Also spotty.
1. An appellation for the will-o'-the wisp, esp. in phr. like spottie (wantin' the tail), instantaneously, at great speed, in a flash (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 178: Abd. 1971). Cf. Spunkie.Ags. 1833 J. S. Sands Poems 95:
To see him i' the loupin' ague, Loupin' like Spottie ow're fouks' houses.Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond B. Bowden (1922) 83:
Aff they gaed like spotty wantin' the tail.
2. The plaice, Pleuronectes platessa (Kcb. 1971), from the red spots on its skin.
[Dim. or hypocoristic form of spot. ]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Spottie n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 22 Nov 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/spottie>
