Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
†GAIRFISH, n. “ The name given, in the vicinity of Dundee, to the Porpoise” (Ags. 1808 Jam.). Prob. the bottle-nosed dolphin, Tursiops truncatus.Ags. 1795 Stat. Acc.1 XIII. 493:
At first sight, it would be thought beneficial to the salmon fishing, if a method could be invented, by which the porpoises, or Gair fish as they are called, which devour so many salmon, might be destroyed.
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Gairfish n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 4 May 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/gairfish>