Glossary
| Ancient (Anc) | Term used to describe the use of colours which simulate natural dyes in tartan, natural dyes were used before the mid 1700s |
| Apron | The front part of a kilt |
| Assymetrica | A tartan ‘sett’ which does not ‘pivot’ and reverse at given intervals |
| Badge | The Heraldic Crest of a clan chief – surrounded by a strap & buckle |
| Balmoral | Traditional Scottish Bonnet |
| Chain Strap | Metal & or leather strap which is attached to the sporran in order to wear it |
| Count | The number of threads in each colour band in tartan |
| Dirk | Large ceremonial dagger – usually finely decorated |
| District Tarta | A tartan that is associated to a district rather than a family or clan name |
| Dress Tartan | A variation of a tartan in which the ‘ground’ or other background colour has been changed to white |
| Family Tartan | A tartan associated to a family name – one which is not a recognised clan |
| Flashes | Small strips of tartan or woven material attached to a garter which is worn with the ‘hose’ |
| Ground | The dominant colour within a tartan design – the colour which would appear to be the background |
| Hose | A type of thick sock either knitted or woven worn with a kilt |
| Modern | Colour shades produced by chemical dyes (post 1860) |
| Old | Used to descibe a tartan sett which predates the one in common use |
| Pivot | The central colour band within a tartan design where the pattern reverses and repeats |
| Pleated to sett | Pleating a kilt so that the pattern on the rear matches the front |
| Pleated to stripe | Pleating a kilt so that the narrow stripe of the tartan is visible on each pleat – common on regimental kilts |
| Repeat | The ‘sett’ including its pivot and mirror image to form one complete pattern instance |
| Reproduction | Colours used to represent the fading of tartan dyes due to sunlight or weathering |
| Selvedge | The border at the edge of a woven tartan (usually a thicker thread) which prevents unravelling |
| Sept | A branch of a clan or a family who sought protection of a clan |
| Sett | The count of threads making up one tartan pattern from ‘pivot’ to ‘pivot’ |
| Sgian Dubh | Meaning ‘dark knife’ a small dagger traditionally worn in the ‘hose’ on a kilt outfit |
| Sporran | A purse made of leather, sealskin, badger or other animal fur |
| Waist Plate | Buckle |
| Warp | Length-wise threads on a loom |
| Web | Finished cloth – still on the loom |
| Weft | Cross wise threads on the loom |