A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Zinziber, Cynoper, Cinabre, n. [? ME and e.m.E. cinoper (Wyclif) red pigment, cinaper (a1599), cinoper (1610), sinabar (1612), red mercuric sulphide, OF cinabre, L. cinnabaris or ? var. of Sinoper n.] a. ? Cinnabar, red mercuric sulphide used in medicine or as a red pigment or ? = Sinoper n. 2. b. Red colour, ? transf. f. a above or ? = Sinoper n. 1. —a. c1575 Balfour Pract. 87.
For ane baill of pepper, cumyng, allum, zinziber, curranis, almondis, feggis, raisingis … at the entring thairof, nathing; bot for ilk baill, at the furth-passing, iiij d. 1596 Exch. R. XXIII 507.
Ane pund of zinziber 30 s. —b. a1649 Drummond I 23/11.
From Indies borrowing gold, from westerne skies Most bright cynoper [v.r. cinabre], sets before mine eyes
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"Zinziber n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 27 Apr 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/zinziber>
