Edinburgh A–Z
A glossary of Edinburgh terms
Edinburgh has a vocabulary of its own. Directions send you down a close or through a pend, the forecast promises haar, a letter from the council talks about things outwith its control, and a colleague calls the day dreich. Visitor guides explain the Castle; nobody explains the words to the adult who has just moved here for work. This glossary does that, in plain English, one term per page, each with its sources.
How to use this glossary
The opening paragraph of each term answers the question on its own. "In practice" gives the working detail, and the last section says why the word matters to someone who arrived in Edinburgh as an adult. Each page names its source, so anything that changes can be rechecked.
Streets and buildings
- Close - A narrow alley or passage running off a main street, especially the Royal Mile.
- Pend - A covered passageway or archway running through a building to a back court.
- Tenement - A building of several storeys divided into flats that share a common entrance and stair.
- Wynd - A narrow lane that, unlike a close, was a public route between two streets.
Weather and words
- Auld Reekie - Edinburgh's old nickname, Scots for "Old Smoky".
- Dreich - Dull, grey, damp and dreary weather.
- Haar - A cold sea fog that rolls in from the North Sea.
- Outwith - Outside or beyond; standard in Scottish official writing.
Festivals and traditions
- Ceilidh - An evening of folk music and dancing where a caller teaches every dance.
- Hogmanay - The Scottish New Year's Eve and its celebrations.
- The Fringe - The open-access arts festival held every August.
Landmarks and institutions
- Holyrood - The palace and Parliament at the foot of the Royal Mile, and shorthand for the Scottish Parliament.
- New Town - The planned Georgian district north of the Old Town.
- One O'Clock Gun - The gun fired from the Castle at 1pm every day except Sundays, Good Friday and Christmas Day.
- Royal Mile - The run of streets from the Castle down to Holyrood.
Edinburgh Society is independent and is not affiliated with the City of Edinburgh Council or any of the organisations named in this glossary.