General
dreich
What does dreich mean?
Dreary, bleak, dismal — almost always about weather. That cold drizzly grey day where the sky never quite gets light. Voted Scotland's most iconic Scots word more than once.
"Pure dreich oot there, am no leavin' the hoose."
Origin
From Middle English 'dreig' (patient, enduring), via Old Norse 'drjúgr'. Voted favourite Scots word in a 2019 Scottish Book Trust poll.
Frequently asked questions
What does dreich mean?
Dreich describes grey, damp, miserable weather — essentially the default Scottish forecast.
How do you use dreich in a sentence?
"It's pure dreich out there, I'm not leaving the house."
Where does dreich come from?
It's a Scots word long used to describe dreary, wet, gloomy weather.
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