A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1456, 1584-1629
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Commer(e, Comer(e, n. Also: commar. [Variant of Cummer n.2 Cf. ME. commare (1303).] A female gossip or intimate friend. 1456 Hay I. 26/30.
Nocht for knaulage of cosynage, na gossappis, na commaris of cardinalis 1584 P. Gray Lett. 3.
My Lady my commere 1600 Hamilton Facile Tr. 48.
Is it sik [wine] whairof thay tipple willinglie at thair comeres banquets? 1600 Ib. 49.
Lustie comeres be mirrie, for ȝour ministers sayes [etc.] 1600-1610 Melvill 278.
Boduell … haid the Quein of Eingland be hir Ambassator ordinar … to be his commer c1610 Melville Mem. 159.
Then I requested her Majeste to be a gossup vnto the Quen, for our commers ar callit gossups in England 1629 Boyd Last B. 125.
Shee … can skippe at the scols with her commers till shee bee sicke with healths
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"Commer n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/commere>
