peerie

English

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɪəɹi

Adjective

peerie (comparative peerier, superlative peeriest)

1. (chiefly Shetland and Orkney) Small, tiny.

Noun

peerie (plural peeries)

1. A Shetland sheepdog.
2. Alternative form of peery (“spinning top”)

Scots

Etymology 1

Unknown.

Alternative forms

• peedie (Orkney, modern)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpiːri/

Adjective

peerie (comparative peerier, superlative peeriest)

1. (Orkney, Shetland) small, little, tiny

Usage notes

• In modern Orcadian Scots, peedie gradually replaces this term.

Derived terms

• Peerie Sea (a placename, literally “little sea”)
• peerie folk (fairies, literally “little folk”)

Etymology 2

From peer (“pear”) +‎ -ie, due to the resemblance of some spinning tops to pears.

Noun

peerie (plural peeries)

1. A spinning top.

Descendants

• → English: peery

References

• “peerie” in the Dictionary of the Scots Language, Edinburgh: Scottish Language Dictionaries.
• Flaws, Margaret, Lamb, Gregor (1996) The Orkney Dictionary, Kirkwall, Orkney: Orkney Language and Culture Group, published 2001, →ISBN