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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
KINTYE, n. The roof-tree or ridge-pole of a house, "a term used by those who are of Highland descent" (Fif. 1825 Jam.).
[This word is somewhat suspect. Jam. appears to have accepted it, among several other sim. items from a Gaelic-speaking informant in Fife, as if from Gael. ceann-(an-)taighe, "head of the house", but the phonology is improbable and the phr. means only "a chieftain, head of a family" or "the upper end of a house." Prob. the whole is a misconception or misusage of king-tie, a principal beam or post in a roof. Cf. Eng. king-post, tie-beam.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Kintye n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 26 Aug 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/kintye>


