balmorals
|bal-mor-al|
🇺🇸
/bælˈmɔrəl/
🇬🇧
/bælˈmɔːrəl/
(balmoral)
name of the Balmoral estate → styles/items named after it
Etymology
'balmoral' originates from the Scots placename 'Balmoral', ultimately from Scottish Gaelic elements such as 'baile' (meaning 'settlement') and possibly 'mòr' (meaning 'large' or 'great').
'Balmoral' was first used as a place name in Scots/English for the estate in Aberdeenshire; the placename was then applied to items associated with the estate (for example, the Balmoral bonnet and styles of dress/boots), and these senses entered general English usage as the common noun 'balmoral'.
Initially it referred specifically to the place 'Balmoral'; over time it came to denote objects or styles associated with that place (caps, shoes, tartans) and thus gained the common‑noun and adjectival senses it has today.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural of 'balmoral': a traditional Scottish cap (Balmoral bonnet) — a round, usually woollen cap often with a toorie (pom‑pom) and sometimes ribbons.
He packed his balmorals and tartans for the Highland festival.
Synonyms
Noun 2
plural of 'balmoral': a style of low-cut formal boot or shoe (Balmoral/Oxford) with closed lacing — used especially in British English to mean dress shoes/boots of that cut.
She polished her balmorals before the formal dinner.
Synonyms
Adjective 1
relating to or characteristic of Balmoral (the estate or its style) — used attributively (e.g., balmorals tartans, balmorals style).
The museum showcased balmorals and tartans from the estate.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/07 17:22