Mattucashlass

Last updated September 08, 2025

A mattucashlass is a type of dagger worn concealed in the armpit and primarily used for close combat, part of traditional Scottish male Highland dress.^[1] It is also referred to as an armpit dagger^[1] or a sleeve dagger in English. In Scots, the alternative name skene-ochil or skene-occles can also be found.^[2]

Etymology
See also
References

Etymology

The term mattucashlass derives from Scottish Gaelic : biodag-achlais^[3] (Scottish Gaelic pronunciation: [pit̪akˈaxl̪ˠɪʃ] , biodag meaning "dagger" and achlais "armpit") presumably via the dialectal by-form miodag, which is attested in Shaw's 1788 Galic and English Dictionary.^[4]

It is also known in Gaelic as the sgian-achlais (sgian meaning "knife"),^[5] from which the Scots term skene-ochil or skene-occles is derived.

References

1 2 Duane, William A Military Dictionary Philadelphia, 1810
↑ "skean". Dictionary of the Scots Language. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
↑ "Dagger". Am Faclair Beag. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
↑ Shaw, William Galic and English Dictionary 1780
↑ "Sgian-achlais". Am Faclair Beag. Retrieved 1 May 2016.

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Category:Knives / Daggers

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Mattucashlass

Contents

Etymology

See also

References