caber

Where does the word "caber" come from? It comes from Scottish Gaelic cabar, and was adopted directly into English (1500s).

Caber’s story begins in Scottish Gaelic: cabar meant “pole, rafter.” 'pole, rafter', also 'antler': Caber Féidh, 'deer's antler', is the badge and pipe tune of Clan Mackenzie. It reached English by 1500s as caber. Tossing the caber is the centrepiece of Highland games; Queen Victoria first attended the Braemar Gathering in 1848, starting its royal patronage. Today, caber means a long heavy wooden pole tossed end over end in Scottish Highland games.

1. Stage 1 · Scottish Gaelic · medieval cabar "pole, rafter", 'pole, rafter', also 'antler': Caber Féidh, 'deer's antler', is the badge and pipe tune of Clan Mackenzie.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1500s caber "tree trunk tossed in Highland games", tossing the caber is the centrepiece of Highland games; Queen Victoria first attended the Braemar Gathering in 1848, starting its royal patronage.