Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Termigan, Tarmachan, n. Also: termigen, -ant, tarmaken, tormichan, ptarmigan. [Gael. tàrmachan, prob. f. toirm, torm noise, murmur (see Scottish Gaelic Studies XII 271ff.).] The ptarmigan.(a) 1599 Acts IV 180/2.
They discharge ony persone quhasumeuir … to sell or by ony … partridgis, muir foullis, blak cokis … termiganis [etc.] 1600 Acts IV 236/2.
Termigenis 1617 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. viii 10.
The knowne commoditie yee have to provide capercaillies and termigantis, have moved vs … to requieste you … for provision of some of each kind of the saidis foules to be … sent to vs be way of present 1621 Acts IV 628/2.
The gryit abvse … in buying & selling of … powtis pertrikes mure-foulles … termigantis [etc.] 1668 Edinb. B. Rec. X 53.
Tabell of the vivers in the pultrie mercat … the best termigant, 5 s.; drest, 6 s. 8 d.(b) 1684 Symson Descr. Galloway 79.
Tarmakens 1684 Symson Descr. Galloway 134.
That fine bird, called the mountain partridge, or, by the commonalty, the tarmachan 1685 Acts VIII 475/2.
Tormichan 16… Abercrummie in Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II 3.
Tarmachans(c) 1684 Sibbald Scot. Illustr. II iii iii 16.
Perdrix alba Sabandis … Nostratibus the Ptarmigan