Also see Maker.

Plural: Makaris, or Makeris.

Makar is a word taken from Scots, the distinct dialect of English which has been used for hundreds of years throughout Scotland. The most notable use of the Scots dialect was by poets and writers, who by coincidence (or perhaps not) are the very people that the term Makar actually refers to. A Makar is defined as being a maker; one who makes or creates. More specifically though, it is used to emphasise the role of a poet, or author as a gifted and versatile worker in the art of writing.

Originally the word solely represented Scottish Chaucerians, or in other words the poets of the Scottish court who flourished between the years 1425 and 1550. These poets acknowledged Geoffrey Chaucer as their inspiration (hence the use of his moniker), adapting his writing style, and commonly working his themes into their writing. The most notable Makaris of this era were poets such as William Dunbar, Sir David Lyndsay, Blind Harry, and Robert Henryson.

The word and it’s meaning however has not been lost to the world over the years. Instead it has been brought forward for use in modern times to promote the heritage that is Scottish literature. It's meaning has expanded to represent artists of the written word, and is now also used as an appointed title in Scotland for a role similar to that of Poet Laureate. The Makar of a city is a person with roles such as promotion of a city's literary connections, along with the work of current authors, and poets.

Significant Makaris (past and present) of Scotland are Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson, Violet Jacob, Nan Shepherd, and Iain Crichton Smith.


Definition expanded from Collins Dictionary and Encyclopaedia Britannica