Dreich

/dɹiːx/ or /drɛx/ adjective

Definition

Scottish word meaning dreary, bleak, and cold; gloomy and unpleasant weather or mood.

Etymology

From Scottish Gaelic or Old English origin, possibly related to Old High German 'trechan' meaning 'to endure.' It describes the gloomy climate of Scotland and has been in Scottish English for centuries.

Kelly Says

If you've ever experienced a gray, wet Scottish day, you understand why this Scots word survived so well—it perfectly captures a very specific kind of miserable weather that English speakers needed a special word for, and it's untranslatable in one English word.

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