skene-dhu

A form of sgian dubh — A small, single-edged knife worn tucked into the hose (stocking) as part of traditional Scottish Highland dress along with the kilt.

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Meanings

nounskene-dhu (plural skene-dhus)

plural skene-dhus

  1. alternativeAlternative spelling of sgian dubh.

    In another moment claymores and skene-dhus gleamed in the grasp of several uplifted hands; [...]

    1831, Andrew Picken, “The Deer-stalkers of Glenskiach. A Highland Legend.”, in [Andrew Picken], editor, The Club-book: Being Original Tales, &c. […] (Harper’s Library of Select Novels; XIV), Harper’s stereotype edition, volume II, New York, N.Y.: […] J[ames] & J[ohn] Harper; […], →OCLC, chapter IX, page 133
    1 more example

    Give me my skene-dhu, and let me go on my road. I should have been half way to Stirling brig by this time—Give me my dirk, and let me go.

    1827, [Walter Scott], chapter XIII, in Chronicles of the Canongate; […], volume I (The Two Drovers), Edinburgh: […] [Ballantyne and Co.] for Cadell and Co.; London: Simpkin and Marshall, →OCLC, page 302
Cite this entry
APA

skene-dhu. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/skene-dhu

MLA

“skene-dhu.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/skene-dhu. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “skene-dhu,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/skene-dhu.

Source: skene-dhu on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.