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.
Quotation dates: 1500-1602, 1657
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Monsieur, Monseur, Monsure, -sour. Also: monseor, -zeor, -sewr, -ser, munseur, -sur, -sour, -sere, and Musour. [e.m.E. monsr (1523), mounsire (a 1553), -sier (1553), -ser (1556), mo(u)nsieur (1572), F. monsieur, orig. = ‘my lord’.]Also abbrev. as monsr.
1. The courtesy title prefixed to the surname or title of a Frenchman. ? Chiefly or only applied to men of rank or distinction. 1512 Treasurer's Accounts IV. 399.
Payt to Monsure Lamote servitouris that dansit ane moris to the King 1533 Ib. VI. 133.
Writtingis send furth of Ingland to Monsieur Bewis 1545 Ib. VIII. 377. 1548 Ib. IX. 188. 1553 Balcarres P. 313.
And of the taking of Monser Marchell de lay Marche 1550–1 Corr. M. Lorraine 344.
I raid to Jedburghe … accumpanit with Munsur Dosee 1550–1 Ib. 345.
Munsere Dosee c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 343.
Monsour de Obenie 1561–2 Treasurer's Accounts XI. 151.
To Monsieur Mernay to by ane jak ? c 1567 Criminal Trials I. i. 479.
The sad Monseor de Breame namit him be command of the King of France Charles 1572-5 Diurnal of Occurrents 67.
The banket to Monsieur Domell a1578 Pitsc. I. 242/5.
Munseur Deobanies pairting a1578 Ib. II. 110/11.
Monsr Dosie a1578 Ib. 118/9; etc.
Monsewr Doiswell 1596 Dalr. II. 426/19.
Monsour Martigious … a worthie prince 1602 Treasurer's Accounts MS. 117 b.
To Munsour de Halȝie
b. Also prefixed to the name of a man of Scottish origin holding office and resident in France. — 1657 Mure Hist. Rowallan 252.
Monsieur Duncan Mure, late livetenent to the King of France guard
2. A person who is addressed as Monsieur, a gentleman of France.In quot. (2) as a term of disparagement, as also in Monzie n.(1) c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxiii. 42.
Monsouris of France, gud clarat-cunnaris; Inopportoun askaris of Yrland kynd a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS. No. 1434.
The monseuris of France, the bischops of Italy, the nobility of Hungary, the lairdis of Scotland [etc.] … mak a poor company(2) 1558-66 Knox II. 343.
But the monzeoris of the court, and secreatarie Lethingtoun abuf otheris, could not abyd such hard speiking
3. A title given to the second son or next eldest brother of the King of France. ? 1552–3 Balcarres P. 311.
Madame, pleis ȝour grace to wit the Quenis grace and Monseris and Mesdames is in gude prosperite and heel living to God
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"Monsieur n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 10 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/monsieur>
