first footing

noun

The practice, during Hogmanay, of visiting friends and family, especially to be the first person to cross a home's threshold after midnight on New Year's Eve bearing a small gift.

OriginScots tae first-fit →
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Meanings

nounfirst footing (uncountable)

alternative first-footing

  1. ScotlanduncountableThe practice, during Hogmanay, of visiting friends and family, especially to be the first person to cross a home's threshold after midnight on New Year's Eve bearing a small gift.

Origin

  1. Scotstae first-fit“to be the first to visit at the new year”
  2. Englishfirst footing

From Scots tae first-fit (“to be the first to visit at the new year”, literally “to first-foot”).

More words from Scots

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

first footing. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/first%20footing

MLA

“first footing.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/first%20footing. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “first footing,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/first%20footing.

Source: first footing on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.