Glamis

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A small village in the Angus council area of eastern Scotland, best known for the nearby medieval castle
2. A rural settlement in Angus, eastern Scotland, famous for the historic castle that stands close by
3. A Scottish village in the county of Angus, noted chiefly for its ancient castle and its royal associations

Etymology: Glamis is a village in Angus, Scotland, and the name is best known through Glamis Castle, whose records mention the Lyon family's holding of the estate from the late 14th century. The place name's origin is uncertain. It is generally thought to be Pictish or Gaelic, but no reliable meaning has been established, so any translation you see is a guess. Its fame in English comes almost entirely from Shakespeare. In "Macbeth," the title character is first greeted as Thane of Glamis, a title he already holds before the witches' prophecy. Shakespeare drew on Holinshed's "Chronicles" (1587), which associates Macbeth with the place, so the castle became linked with the play's ambition and murder. The castle still draws visitors partly for that connection, though the building's present form is largely from later centuries.