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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

PASPER, n. Also paspier (Gall. a.1700 A. Symson Descr. Gall. 100). The plant samphire, Crithmum maritimum (Gall. 1825 Jam.). Hence paspery, adj., covered with or abounding in samphire, usu. found in placenames, e.g. Paspery Rock in Gall. (Gall. 1931 H. Maxwell Placenames 222).Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 84, 373:
Muncraig's gurly shore, Whar pasper grows. . . . Pasper — Samphire. When taken and eat green from the heuchs, makes persons as hungry as a hawk.

[Fr. passe-pierre, corrupt form of perce-pierre, “pierce-stone”, samphire, saxifrage, also applied to any other plant which grows among rocks.]

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"Pasper n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 28 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/pasper>

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