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Glite Dictionary
Scotch broth

Scotch broth

5.6
A thick Scottish soup that has meat, vegetables, and pearl barley
  • noun
  • /skɒtʃ brɔθ/
  • UK
translation icon : caldo escocés
  • They had already eaten their Scotch broth and were now ploughing their way through steaks, onions, chips, and mixed veg.

Examples

  • Yes, there is Scotch broth and there is mushroom and barley soup.

    Academic text (1994)

  • The hearty Scotch broth was filled with vegetables and pearl barley, making it a perfect winter meal.

  • Campbell's scotch broth soup.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • On a cold day, nothing warms you up like a bowl of Scotch broth made with tender beef and root vegetables.

  • For dinner, we enjoyed a delicious Scotch broth that was simmered with mutton and fresh herbs.

Synonyms

barley-broth
vsScotch broth
6.3

A warm, hearty soup made with barley and vegetables or meat

is a thicker traditional Scottish version using beef or mutton and a specific grain

Surface Forms

Scotch broth singular
Scotch broths plural

Morphology

Scotch + broth

The meaning is compositionally derived from 'Scotch' (pertaining to Scotland) modifying 'broth' (a soup-like liquid), so a B1 learner who knows both words will infer it refers to a Scottish soup. They may not predict specific ingredients or its characteristic thickness, but the core sense 'a kind of Scottish soup' is transparent.

Etymology

Scotch broth comes from Scotland: Scotch means from Scotland and broth means a soup. Imagine a pot of meat, pearl barley and vegetables cooking into a thick, warm soup for the family. So the name now means a 'hearty Scottish soup'.