PLAID (Gael. plaide, Ir. ploid, usually taken to be derived from Gael. peall, sheepskin,

See also:

• LAT

Lat. pellis, skin)  , an outer garment, consisting of an oblong piece of woollen cloth, which has formed the principal outer part of the costume of the Highlanders of Scotland . The wearer wrapped himself in the plaid, the lower portion, reaching to the knees and belted, forming the kilt . Later the lower portion was separated, being called the phili. beg, the plaid being used as a covering for the shoulders and upper part of the body . The plaids were usually of a checked or tartan pattern . The word is thus used of any cloth made with such a pattern . " Shepherd's plaid " is a cloth with a chequer of black on a white ground .