100+ Scottish Slang Words & Expressions (+ What They Mean)

Scotland is a land with three distinct languages and numerous dialects—and they all come together to create a colorful and extremely varied collection of Scottish slang. Between English, Scots, Scottish Gaelic, and all the associated slang, it can even be hard to understand people in some areas! But we’re here to help, with a thorough introduction to Scottish slang covering everything from compliments to insults and the day-to-day terms used in casual conversation. Let’s get started!

Common Examples of Scottish Slang

Braw - A good-looking person, beautiful
Canny - Smart (or, alternatively, to be wary or careful)
Cludgie - A toilet (originally one located outdoors, like an outhouse)
Drookit - Soaked through, drenched
Glaikit - Foolish, not very bright
Haver - To talk nonsense
Wabbit - Exhausted, feeling under the weather
Wheesht - Quiet

Section 1 of 10:

Scottish Slang for Everyday Objects & Places

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Let’s start off with a list of Scottish slang words for commonplace items, subjects, or locations you might hear discussed in a conversation—from shoes to cars, and beyond. When you read through this list, you’ll have a sense of the many ways in which Scottish slang can be used! For instance:^{[1]
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- Baffies - Slippers
- Banger - Firework
- Bits - Boots
- Box - A TV set
- Brae - A hill
- Breeks - Trousers (pants)
- Brief - Car
- Bunker - Tabletop or kitchen counter
- Close - An alleyway
- Cludgie - A toilet (originally one located outdoors, like an outhouse)
- Edina / Embra - Edinburgh (the city)
- Gaff - House (or house party)
- Geks - Glasses
- Grund - Ground
- Gutties - Rubber-soled shoes or gym shoes
- Haver - To talk nonsense
- Hame - Home
- Hauf - Half, or a measure of whiskey
- Hingway - Thing (can be used interchangeably with any noun or object)
- Jaggies - Stinging nettles
- Jenny - A generator
- Kirk - Church
- Lavvy - Lavatory (bathroom)
- Lecky - Electricity
- Loaby - Hallway, lobby
- Messages - Shopping
- Midden - Outdoor rubbish pile
- Motor - A car
- Oose - A dust ball or cobweb
- Outwith - Outside, beyond
- Puddock - A frog
- Sannies - A pair of shoes
- Scheme - A residential area
- Schule - School (pronounced “skull”)
- Script - Plan, idea
- Skelf - A splinter
- Snout - Cigarette
- Spondoolies - Money
- Tassie - Cup
- Yocker - A large, throwable rock

Section 2 of 10:

Scottish Insults & Swear Words

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Yes, the Scottish lexicon of swears and insults is just as colorful and creative as you’ve probably heard! There’s an impressive array of curse words and crude names to choose from—some more joking and inoffensive, others much more seriously insulting. We haven’t even touched the most offensive phrases, but you’ll still find a huge array of options below:
- Bam - A fool or simpleton
- Bampot - An idiot; someone totally unhinged
- Bastart - Bastard
- Batter - To beat up (“I’ll batter ye!”)
- Bawbag - Scrotum (“What a bawbag he is!”)
- Besom - An insulting term for a girl or woman
- Boke (boak) - An expression of disgust (or to gag or vomit)
- Boggin - Foul-smelling
- Boot - An insult for an ugly or untidy woman
- Bowfin - Unpleasant
- Dafty - A foolish person
- Diteit - Stupid
- Div - Idiot
- Dobber - A fool (Can also mean “dickhead”)
- Dolton - An idiot
- Doolally - Someone who has lost their mind
- Dunderhead - An idiot
- Eejit - Idiot
- Fandan - An overconfident or pretentious idiot
- Fannybaws - A term of ridicule, although sometimes it can be a term of endearment, too
- Feartie - Cow
- Glaikit - Foolish, not very bright
- Gommy - Simple-looking (an idiot)
- Goon - Idiot
- Gowk - A fool
- Hackit - Ugly
- Honkin’ - Dirty
- Howlin’ - Smelly
- Huddy - Idiot, lame brain
- Jobby - Poo
- Knob - An irritating person (usually a man)
- Lavvy heid - Toilet head
- Loon - Idiot
- Minger - A dirty, horrible, or ugly person
- Mink - An unhygenic person
- Munter - Someone ugly
- Numpty - A lovable idiot
- Nugget - A fool
- Nyaff - An irritating person
- Reprobate - An unprincipled person
- Roaster - Someone making a fool of themselves
- Rocket - An annoying person
- Scabby - Dirty
- Tube - An idiot
- Twally - A person who lacks intelligence
- Wallaper - Idiot, moron
- Weapon - An annoying or widely disliked person
- Wopper - Someone embarrassing

Section 3 of 10:

Lovely Scottish Words & Compliments

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After all those (admittedly impressive) insults, we have to cover the softer side of Scottish slang: the compliments, sweet words, and terms of endearment. When you want to explain that something is truly awesome using Scottish slang, what should you say? Take a look at the terms below:^{[2]
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- Barry - Excellent
- Belter - To be excellent
- Bonnie - Pretty or beautiful (often used to refer to a woman as “bonnie lass”)
- Braw - A good-looking person, beautiful
- Class - Something that’s really good
- Coorie - To cuddle (especially during cold weather)
- Crouss - To be cheerful
- Flichterin’ - Fluttering (like the wings of a butterfly)
- Gloaming - Twilight
- Hen - A term of endearment for a woman (like “honey” or “dear”)
- Magic - Great or excellent
- Mense - Great (a shortened form of “immense”)
- Quality - Great, excellent
- Saorsa - Freedom
- Scramble - Scottish wedding tradition wherein the groom throws change out of the car for kids to pick up
- Smourich - A kiss
- Sound - Nice, cool, able to keep secrets
- Stoater - A beauty
- Tidy - A good-looking woman
- Wee - Small
- Winch - Kiss (to French kiss someone)
- Yaldi - An expression of joy

Section 4 of 10:

Scottish Slang for Food and Drink

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There are also a few choice Scottish slang terms for different types of food and drink (or the act of drinking itself), particularly for beer and other alcoholic beverages. For instance:
- Bevvy - Alcoholic beverage
- Bez - Beer
- Blootered - Extremely drunk
- Bucky - An abbreviation of “Buckfast” (a popular type of tonic wine)
- Jaked - Being drunk
- Neeps - Turnips
- Piece - Sandwich
- Pizza Crunch - A deep-fried pizza
- Scran - Food
- Session - A night out drinking
- Snashters - Sweets, goodies, treats to eat
- Stovies - A beloved Scottish dish (typically made from potatoes, fat, meat, onions, and sometimes gravy)
- Swally - Alcohol, or to swallow
- Tatties - Potatoes

Section 5 of 10:

Scottish Slang for People

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What’s the Scottish slang term for a little kid, or a pretty girl? What about a grandparent or a friend? In this section, we’ll cover a wide range of Scottish slang terms for different people, from family members to random people you might see on the street while people-watching. Take a look:^{[3]
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- Bairn - A child
- Barra - A small child
- Bawheid - Bald-headed
- Big Yin - A term of endearment for an older relative or friend
- Blether - Chatter-box
- Burd - A girlfriend (can also just refer to a girl or girls in general)
- Chief - Another way to say “dude” or “mate” (basically a term for a friend)
- Da - Father
- Gadge - A guy
- Granda - Grandfather
- Janny - A janitor
- Laddie - A boy or young man
- Lassie - A girl or young woman
- Maw - Mom
- Min / Mannie - A mate (friend) or any adult man
- Minted - Rich
- Ned - A backronym for a hooligan or troublemaker
- Papa - Grandfather
- Quine - A girl or young woman
- Sassenach - An English person (someone born below the Highland Line)
- Sook - A big softie
- Speccy - Someone who wears glasses
- Teuchter - Someone living in the countryside
- Toonser - Someone from the city
- Wean - A child, the youngest in a family
- Wee barra - A term of endearment (usually for boys) meaning “small fair-haired child”
- Weegie - Someone from the city of Glasgow
- Wifey - A woman (usually an older woman)

Section 6 of 10:

Scottish Slang for Body Parts

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Here, we’ll address Scottish slang terms for body parts. And before you take a look at the terms themselves, keep in mind that a couple of these words could be considered a wee bit more rude than others (seeing as the Scottish do have many slang terms for private parts). Nonetheless, check out the following slang terms:
- Bahoochie - Buttocks
- Baws - Testicles
- Chebs - Breasts
- Coupon - Face
- Dowp - Backside, bottom
- Een - Eyes
- Gammie - An injured body part
- Geggy - Mouth
- Gob - Mouth
- Gowpin’ - A sore body part
- Haun - Hand
- Lugs - Ears
- Napper - Head
- Noggin - Head
- Nut - Head
- Oxters - Armpits
- Paps - Breasts
- Yaks - Eyes or mouth

Section 7 of 10:

Scottish Expressions & Phrases

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Here, we have some slang expressions and phrases you might hear in everyday conversation with someone Scottish, from exclamations of shock or excitement to quick and easy ways to get someone’s attention or ask “How are you doing?” Get to know the most common Scottish slang expressions here:^{[4]
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- Ae - An expression of agreement
- And but - An expression indicating that the speaker is done talking
- Aye - Yes
- Banana boat - An expression of disbelief or doubt
- Cannae - Can’t
- Crivens - An exclamation
- Craic - A conversation starter (“What’s the craic?”); pronounced “crack”
- Deh - Don’t
- Diddy - Did he?
- Didnae - Didn’t
- Dinnae - Don’t
- Dunno / dinnae ken - I don’t know
- Eh? - What?
- Fae - From
- Fit like? - How are you?
- Gaun yerself - Congratulations
- Gaggin’ for it - Begging for something
- Geez - Give me (“Geez it!”)
- Gingin’ - Disgusting
- Graftin’ - To like someone
- Haver - Silly talk
- Havnae - Have not
- Haw - An expression used to get someone’s attention
- Hogmanay - New Year’s Eve (“Happy Hogmanay!”)
- Hoot - What
- How? - Why?
- Jings! - Wow!
- Ken - To know
- Knackered - Exhausted
- Mental - Insane, off the chain, wild
- Mibbe - Maybe
- Mince - Nonsense (“Dinnae talk mince!”)
- Nae danger - No chance, no way
- Naw - No
- Oan yer trolley - Go away
- Peely wally - Looking pale or sick
- Pure - Very, totally (an expression of emphasis)
- Scunnered - Bored, fed up
- Shan - A shame
- Simmer - Calm down
- Skud - Naked
- Square go - A fair fight (one vs. one)
- That’s a sin - What a shame
- Wabbit - Exhausted, feeling under the weather
- Well - Very (“The couch is well comfy!”)
- Whit like? - How are you?
- Yuptae? - What are you up to?

Section 8 of 10:

Other Random Scottish Slang Terms

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You may hear any of these Scottish slang terms thrown into a casual conversation. They cover a wide range of subjects, from the weather to slang versions of adverbs (like “very,” but with an extremely Scottish twist). Take a look:^{[5]
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- Baccy - Tobacco
- Baltic - Freezing cold
- Barkit - Dirty or unclean
- Barras - A market (originally describing using a wheelbarrow to sell things from)
- Batter - To beat up
- Bide - Stay, live
- Birl - Spin
- Bit - Place (referring to someone’s house)
- Bizzo - Business
- Bolt - Go away
- Bosie - Cuddle
- Burn - A small river or stream
- Canny - Smart (or, alternatively, to be wary or careful)
- Chankin - Cold
- Chib - To stab something or headbutt
- Chookie - Bird
- Choon - Song
- Chum - To go somewhere with someone else
- Clart - To put on or apply too much of something
- Clipe - To snitch or tell on someone
- Cowk - To throw up
- Crabbit - Grumpy, bad-tempered
- Cuddy - Horse
- Cuttin’ - Hanging around without a goal or direction in mind
- Dander - A walk
- Doo - A pigeon
- Dreich - Damp, overcast
- Drookit - Soaked through, drenched
- Dug - Dog
- Dunt - Nudge
- Fash - Fuss, worry
- Gan - Go
- Grannied - Didn’t score any points
- Greet - To cry
- Heavin’ - Very busy
- Hoora - Very
- Kippy - Left
- Keek - To peek at something
- Laldy - Effort
- Lifted - To be arrested
- Lip - Cheek (as in giving people attitude)
- Loused - Finished or super tired
- Nip - Kiss
- Patch - To ignore someone or stand them up
- Peedie - Small
- Pooched - Broken or useless
- Puckle - A small amount of something
- Scooby - A clue (as in “no clue!”)
- Skelp - To smack (hit) something or someone
- Swatch - Look
- Swick - Cheat
- Techt - Tight, broke (having no money)
- Wheesht - Quiet
- Yonks - Years (a long time ago)

Section 9 of 10:

Old & Popular Scottish Sayings

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Finally, let’s examine some of the Scottish sayings and slang phrases that became prominent years ago, and remain so to this day. In this day and age, it’s hard to pinpoint who first said what or where, exactly, each individual phrase comes from—but we can at least explain what they mean and how they’re used!^{[6]
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- Ah dinnae ken. - I don’t know.
- Black as the Earl of Hell’s Waistcoat! - Pitch black
- Dinna fash. - “Don’t worry.”
- Dinnae teach yer Granny tae suck eggs! - Don’t teach someone something they already know.
- Do yer dinger. - An expression of disapproval
- Failing means yer playin’! - It’s trying that counts (when you fail, at least you’re trying).
- Gonny no dae that! - Please don’t do that!
- Hairy Coo - “Hairy cow” (referring to Scotland’s highland cows)
- Haste ye back! - A farewell, meaning “Come back soon.”
- Haud yer weesht! - A (rude) way to say “Be quiet!”
- Hell slap it intae ye! - It’s your own fault!
- I’ll gie ye a skelpit lug! - I’ll give you a slap on the ear!
- I’m fair puckled! - I’m winded (or short of breath).
- It’ll be a skoosh. - Don’t worry, this will be easy
- It’s a dreich day. - A phrase to indicate a cold, damp, or otherwise miserable day.
- Keep the heid! - Stay calm!
- Long may yer lum reek! - May you live long and stay well.
- Ma heid’s mince. - I’m confused.
- Pure dead brilliant - Amazing, extraordinary
- Skinny Malinky Longlegs! - Referring to a tall, thin (skinny) person
- Speak o’ the Devil! - An expression used when someone appears after you’ve been talking about them
- Whit’s fur ye’ll no go by ye! - What’s meant to happen will happen.
- Yer a chancer! - You’re pushing your luck!
- Yer lookin’ a wee bit peely wally. - You’re looking pale (or ill).

Section 10 of 10:

Where does Scottish slang come from?

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Scottish slang comes in large part from the Scots language. A lot of Scottish slang is rooted in Scots, which is actually a language with Germanic origins—and it’s over 600 years old. While Gaelic is also still spoken in Scotland, fewer Gaelic words are still used on the daily. Thus, Scottish slang is largely made up from Scots terms, with smaller amounts of English and Gaelic in the mix.^{[7]
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- Scottish slang can also vary heavily by area! People in Edinburgh don’t use all the same words as people in Glasgow, and people in northern Scotland might use different slang words, too.
- In Edinburgh, for example, small kids are most often called “bairns.” In Glasgow, the more common word for small children is “weans.”