Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 2005 (SND, online supplement).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1985-2004
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DEPAIRTMENT, n. also depertment. Sc. forms of Eng. department (depairtment Fif., Ayr., Rxb.; depertment Bnff., Abd., Ags., Edb., Dmf. 2000s). wm.Sc. 1985 Liz Lochhead Tartuffe 35:
Pair Wee Marianne! Nothin' worth bummin'
Aboot in the looks depertment as faur as Ah cin see!Sc. 1996 Scotsman 6 Feb :
The concept of the "lad o' pairts" — the clever boy from the cottar houses spotted by the local dominie, and picked out and nursed and trained for the university and a future career as minister, doctor, professor, dominie, or heid o' the depairtment — was utterly and splendidly elitist.Sc. 2004 Times 29 May :
In the Victorian stereotype, the Scot aims to be the heid o' depairtment. Heid o' the company, more like.Uls. 2004 Belfast News Letter 10 Apr 20:
Yeirs sine a gat a wee wheen o' seed prittas frae a bhoy wha hed a brither wrochtin fer the Depairtment o' Agriculture i Norlin Airlan.
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"Depairtment n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Aug 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/snd00090405>
