Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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RELICT, n. Also †relic.

1. The surviving wife of a deceased man, a widow; also a widower. Also fig. First found in Sc. and in more gen. usage in Sc. than in Eng., though now obsol. or arch.Sc. 1706 Foulis Acc. Bk. (S.H.S.) 420:
Receaved from david wilson in name of James brouns relict till account of her housemaill a ducadoon.Sc. 1750 Caled. Mercury (8 Oct.):
Lady Dowager Colstoun, Relict of the late Charles Brown of Colstoun.Ayr. 1833 Galt Howdie (1923) 43:
The widows of the Faculty, and the relicts, as the Scotch call the surviving wives, of divines.wm.Sc. 1906 H. Foulis Vital Spark xviii.:
John — that's the depairted, I'm his relic.Sc. 1962 Scotsman (5 Dec.) 10:
Ella Mitchell, retired teacher, relict of James Noble. wm.Sc. 1980 Anna Blair The Rowan on the Ridge 83:
She was the right age and, since David seemed unlikely to find a mate for himself, maybe he could be urged towards taking on Sandy Hope's relict and tenancy and the fathering of his boys. Sc. 1991 T. S. Law in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 34:
the neebor wurkin wi him was
the yin wuid gan til 's hoose because
altho laich-spreitit as be laith,
he'd hae tae tell the relict daith
haed whummelt-oot her paer man's braith. Sc. 1993 Herald 2 Jun 10:
As a small boy in Dumfries he was on visiting terms for tea and scones with Jean Armour, relict of Robert Burns. Abd. 1993 Scotsman 25 Sep :
Peacefully, at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, on Tuesday, September 21, 1993, Charles Strachan, aged 86 years, (former Reader in Natural Philosophy at the University of Aberdeen), much loved husband of Nancy Mitchell and relict of Marion Wilson, much loved father of ...

2. In pl.: the remains of a dead person.Sc. 1807 G. Chalmers Caledonia I. II. vii.:
The original church of Dunkeld was built for the reception of the relicts of St. Columba.