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 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Selcouth, adj. Also: selcuth, selkouth, selkuth. [ME and e.m.E. sellcúþ (Orm), sulcuð (Layamon), selcuth (Cursor M.), selcouth (Manning, Spenser), selcowth (c1460 Towneley Myst.), OE sel(d)cúþ, f. seld-an seldom, and cúþ known (Couth adj.).] Unfamiliar, unusual; extraordinary, strange; marvellous, wonderful. a1400 Leg. S. xix 561.
And ȝet that stule, be Godis grace, vndir hyme as vax moltine was, That to se was selkuth thinge a1400 Leg. S. l 406.
Lo here a selcuth begynnyng! c1420 Wynt. v 5678 (W).
Machemete … wes a man of selcouth slicht c1450-2 Howlat 318 (A).
Ernes … Quhilk … Perses the sone with thair sicht, selcouth to herd 1460 Hay Alex. 18581.
The sone … wes ouersyillit with ane selcouth hew a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 266.
Herd thair euer ony sage sa selcouth ane saw! a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 409.
Selcouth war the sevint part to say at saw a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1338. c1475 Wall. v 248. 1513 Doug. iii viii 103.
This is the selkouth Caribdis 1513 Doug. vii i 106.
A selcouth thing to se [L. visa nefas], in hir syde hair It semyt the hait fyre kyndillit bricht 1513 Doug. viii Prol. 4.
A selcouth seg I saw to my sycht … (Was nevir wrocht … mair wofull a wycht) 1513 Doug. xi vi 112.
Ane selcouth monstre, lo, betyd hes me 1513 Doug. xii Prol. 65.
The swardit soyll enbrovd with selcouth hewys