A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1375-1535, 1626
[1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0]
Bretan(e, Bretayne, n. Also: Brettane, -ayne, Breitan. [ME. Bretayne, -eyne, OF. Bretaigne. Cf. Britane and Bertane.] Britain. Also Mekil or Mare Bretane. 1375 Barb. i. 538.
Iulius Cesar … that wan Bretane and Fraunce 1375 Ib. x. 28.
I trow that nocht in all Bretane Ane hyer hill may fundyn be a1400 Legends of the Saints xl. 3.
This Sanct Niniane … In-to mekil Bretane wes borne c1420 Wynt. i. 14.
Quhill Brutus come in Mare Bretan c1420 Ib. 1335.
Blessyde Bretayne beelde sulde be Off all the Ilys in the Se c1450-2 Howlat 375.
Our braid Brettane all quhair c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace xi. 1300.
Throuch braid Bretane the woice tharoff was scalyt c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 69.
Throw all Bretane it salbe blawin out 1535 Stewart 9332.
Of all Bretane … the nobill blude 1626 Garden Worthies 171.
March, mother Breitan, all in mvrning maner
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Bretan n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/bretane>
