Burns' Night added to the Oxford English Dictionary - more than 200 years after the inaugural supper to commemorate the Scots poet's death

It is a tradition that stretches back more than 200 years, honouring Scotland’s national bard.

However, the annual celebration of Robert Burns has only now been added to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED).

The terms ‘Burns Night’ and ‘Burns Supper’ have been included in the dictionary to reflect them being the day on or near January 25 when the Ayrshire poet’s birthday is marked.

Burns has been honoured with a mention in the latest edition of the tome for popularising the phrases.

Burns Night, or Burns Supper, is traditionally celebrated with a dinner consisting of haggis, neeps, and tatties.

On the 21 July 1801, the fifth anniversary of his death, his friends gathered at what is now called Burns Cottage in Alloway, near Ayr, where he was born, to honour his memory.

Unbeknown to them, this event marked the beginning of a tradition that has endured for two centuries and continues to be celebrated today.

The official entry for ‘Burns Supper’ in the dictionary reads: ‘An event held on or near to 25 January in celebration of the birthday of the Scottish poet and lyricist Robert Burns; (also) the meal served at this event, traditionally including haggis, neeps and tatties.

‘In addition to the traditional meal, a Burns supper typically involves performances of Burns’ poems and songs, as well as speeches and toasts paying tribute to his life.’

The OED’s researchers found one of the earliest printed mentions of ‘Burns Supper’ was in the Milwaukee Daily Free Democrat in 1851.

A notice in the newspaper read: ‘The gentlemen who are to attend the Burns’ Supper this evening, are requested to meet at Belden’s.’

The phrase was also used in poet Liz Lochhead’s 1989 book True Confessions and New Cliches.

The dictionary said ‘Burns Night’ was used in an 1859 edition of the Western Daily Press to announce an event being held at Liverpool’s Concert Hall.

A recent mention of the phrase in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, was also cited to show it is still in common use among Scots.

A user from Edinburgh posted: ‘Burns Night is almost upon us. A night for haggis, ceilidhs, and enjoying the songs and poetry of the legendary Robert Burns.’

The life and work of Burns, who died in 1796 at the age of 37, is celebrated every year on the anniversary of his birth.

Celebrations take place across the world on January 25 and have an estimated value of £7m to Scotland’s economy.

Burns’ poems and songs have been translated into every major language, and almost 10 million people worldwide are estimated to attend Burns Suppers each year.

More than 700 new words, senses, and phrases have been added to the dictionary in their latest update.

In 2021, Sir Billy Connolly managed to get the word ‘trousered’ to describe being drunk into the dictionary.

A new meaning for trousered was included in the dictionary to reflect it being a slang term for being intoxicated.

Researchers found the earliest printed mention of the word in that context was in a 1977 newspaper interview with Glasgow-born Connolly.

Earlier this year legendary comedy duo Francie and Josie helped get the Scottish word ‘stoater’ meaning something remarkable into the dictionary.

The pair, who were played by the late Glasgow comics Rikki Fulton and Jack Milroy, would often use the word ‘stoater’, which can also be spelled ‘stotter’, in their stage act when referring to an attractive woman.