Belted Plaid - Terminology

Terminology

The belted plaid has been and is often referred to by a variety of different terms, including feilidh-mhor, breacan-an-feile, and, very commonly, the Great Kilt.

The term "Great Kilt" can be misleading since this garment was untailored, and modern era kilts are tailored. The garment was most definitely not known by this name during the years of its usage.

Both the terms feilidh-mhor and breacan-an-feile are Gaelic terms, the former meaning roughly "large wrap" and the latter roughly meaning "tartan wrap".

The word "plaide" in Gaelic roughly means blanket, and that was the original term for the garment in question.