Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1822
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MER-LADY, n. Extended by Hibbert from Eng. mermaid, merman, to form nonce comb. ¶mer-lady, a mermaid. See also Merwife n.Sh. 1822 S. Hibbert Descr. Shet. (1891) 264:
The Mer-lady, perceiving that she must become an inhabitant of earth, found that she could not do better than accept the offer. . . . The Shetlander's love for his merwife was unbounded.
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"Mer-lady n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 19 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/mer_lady_n>
