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”)

References

• Joseph Wright, editor (1903), “PEERIE, adj.1 and sb.2.”, in The English Dialect Dictionary: […], volume IV (M–Q), London: Henry Frowde, […], publisher to the English Dialect Society, […]; New York, N.Y.: G[eorge] P[almer] Putnam’s Sons, →OCLC, page 456.

Scots

Etymology 1

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

Etymology 2

Unknown.

Alternative forms

• peedie

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpiːri/

Adjective

peerie (comparative peerier, superlative peeriest)

1. (Northern Isles) small, little, tiny

Derived terms

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

References

• “peerie, adj.”, in The Dictionary of the Scots Language, Edinburgh: Scottish Language Dictionaries, 2004–present, →OCLC, retrieved 24 May 2024, reproduced from W[illiam] Grant and D[avid] D. Murison, editors, The Scottish National Dictionary, Edinburgh: Scottish National Dictionary Association, 1931–1976, →OCLC.
• “peerie, n.1.”, in The Dictionary of the Scots Language, Edinburgh: Scottish Language Dictionaries, 2004–present, →OCLC, retrieved 24 May 2024, reproduced from W[illiam] Grant and D[avid] D. Murison, editors, The Scottish National Dictionary, Edinburgh: Scottish National Dictionary Association, 1931–1976, →OCLC.
• Thos. Edmondston, F.R.S.L., F.A.S.L. (1866) “peerie”, in An Etymological Glossary of the Shetland & Orkney Dialect, Edinburgh: Adam and Charles Black, page 82