Scots

1 of 2

adjective

ˈskäts How to pronounce Scots (audio)
: scottish
—used especially of the people and language and in legal context

Scots

2 of 2

noun

: the English language of Scotland

Examples of Scots in a Sentence

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Noun
Manhattan microcosm The feeling that Scotland’s most famous university is not a welcoming place for ordinary Scots is rooted in its unusually high international make-up. — Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 30 Sep. 2026 And nowhere is that fact clearer than Castle Leoch, where not just the Scots are in disarray, not just Clan MacKenzie, but the MacKenzie siblings. — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026 On Thursday, Musgrave's Mary, Queen of Scots will be performed. — Tim Fang, CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026 Sprinkled with poems in English and in Scots (go ahead, read them aloud, see how close-and-yet-far the two languages are from one another), Bramwell’s debut is just fun to read. — Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for Scots

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English Scottis, alteration of Scottish

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Scots was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing Scots

Rhymes for Scots

See All Rhymes for Scots

Browse Nearby Words

scotopic
Scots
Scots broom
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Scots.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Scots. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

Scots

2 of 2 noun
: the English language of Scotland

More from Merriam-Webster on Scots

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about Scots

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