scots

The term originates from the Late Latin 'Scottus', used to describe the Gaelic inhabitants of Ireland and later, their descendants in northern Britain. This Latin term likely has its roots in an older Gaelic endonym, though its precise pre-Latin origin is uncertain. Over centuries, 'Scottus' evolved into the Middle English 'Scottis', shedding its Latin ending and becoming associated specifically with the kingdom and people of Scotland, distinguishing them from the Irish Gaels. The modern form 'Scots' thus carries the dual function of an adjective describing Scottish attributes and a noun for the people or their distinctive Germanic language.

The word 'Scots' is a simplex form derived from the proper name 'Scot', which refers to a member of the Gaelic people who came from Ireland to settle in what is now Scotland. The '-s' functions as an adjectival and plural suffix in Modern English usage.