Kinross

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A historic town in central Scotland that gives its name to a council area ; a family name of Scottish origin
2. A market town in the Perth and Kinross region of Scotland ; a surname borne by various people, especially in Scotland
3. A small Scottish town lying in the Perth and Kinross council area ; a name of Scottish origin shared by several notable families

Etymology: Kinross is a market town in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, on the north shore of Loch Leven, and its name is Scottish Gaelic in origin. The first element is "ceann", meaning "head" or "end", and the second is "ros", meaning "headland" or "promontory", so the name describes a place at the head of a headland. The Gaelic form underlying it is often given as "Ceann Ros", and the name is recorded in medieval sources in forms closely resembling the modern spelling. Because the town sits at the edge of a promontory jutting into the loch, the name's geography is still visible on the map. The surrounding loch, with its island and castle ruins, gave the area a long history of settlement and religious connection, though the place name itself dates back to the Gaelic-speaking period of Scotland.