Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Margarit(e, Margrite, n. Also: margare(i)t, margret, mergreit. [ME. (1310) and e.m.E. margarit(e, -et, OF. margarite, (OE. męregrot).] A pearl.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxviii. 3.
In the lapidar … ane is … that callyt is margaret, Vertuyse, clere, lytil and quhyt 1494 Loutfut MS. 32 a.
Thir fische that beris the margaritis 1535 Stewart 37596. a1568 Scott xiv. . 1596 Dalr. I. 24/6, 14.(b) 1506 Treas. Acc. III. 246.
Ane mergreit set with stanes 1535 Stewart 31188.
Ane cors of gold … Adornit … With diamontis ding and margretis mony one

b. Used as the type of something precious.Also, punningly, of a woman named Margaret. 1549 Compl. i.
Marie Queen of Scotlande, the margareit and perle of princessis a1550 Tayis Bank 81.
This myld meik mansuet margrite, This perle polist most quhyt —c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxxvii. 33. a1585 Montg. Maitl. Q. lxiv. 8. a1649 Drummond II. 184/2.