A traditional Scottish garment consisting of a long, rectangular piece of tartan fabric worn by women, similar to a plaid or shawl.
From Scottish Gaelic arisaid, of uncertain ultimate origin but possibly related to words meaning 'armful' or describing a garment of that size. It became a distinctive part of Scottish Highland dress.
The arisaid is a window into Scottish culture—it was worn for centuries before tartans became commercialized symbols, and each family's arisaid told a story about who they were and where they came from.
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