ENGLISH
REFERENCE

scotland

n. uncountable
A1 Beginner US //ˈskɑtɫənd// scot·land

n. a country in the northern part of the United Kingdom. It is famous for its beautiful mountains, lakes, and historic cities like Edinburgh and Glasgow.

n. a constituent country of the United Kingdom, situated in the northern third of the island of Great Britain. It shares a land border with England to the south and is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea.


SIMPLE

Many people visit Scotland to see the beautiful mountains.

CONTEXTUAL

The hikers spent two weeks traveling across Scotland to explore the remote islands and coastal villages.

COMPLEX

While Scotland remains part of the United Kingdom, it maintains its own distinct legal and educational systems, reflecting a unique national identity forged over centuries of independent history.

Origin

From Middle English Scotland, Scotlond, from Old English Sċotland (“Ireland", later also "Scotland”, literally “land of the Scots”), equivalent to Scot + -land. Compare West Frisian Skotlân (“Scotland”), Dutch Schotland (“Scotland”), German Schottland (“Scotland”), Danish Skotland (“Scotland”), Icelandic Skotland (“Scotland”).

Usage

Proper noun; almost always used without an article unless followed by a qualifying phrase.

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