laird
UK[leəd]US[lerd]
n
a person who owns a large estate in scotland; a scottish landowner.
Etymology
the word 'laird' entered standard english from scots, where it functioned as the northern form of 'lord'. it originates from the old english 'hlāford', meaning 'bread-keeper' or 'head of a household', a compound of 'hlāf' (bread, loaf) and 'weard' (keeper, guardian). this term evolved in scottish usage to specifically denote a landed proprietor, distinct from the broader or aristocratic connotations of 'lord'. thus, 'laird' preserves the original sense of a land-holding master within the unique context of scottish estate ownership.
Analysis
the word is a simplex loanword from scots, derived from a northern middle english variant of 'lord'.
Examples
the old laird owned most of the land in the glen.
she inherited the title of laird from her father.
the castle has been the seat of the laird for centuries.