buirdly

Borrowed from Scots buirdly, alteration of earlier buirly (“burly”), of uncertain origin.

buirdly (comparative buirdlier, superlative buirdliest)

1. (Scotland) Sturdy, well-built; solid, stocky.
   • 1933, Lewis Grassic Gibbon, Cloud Howe (A Scots Quair), Polygon, published 2006, page 293:

     So John Muir was brought in from his seat in the lorry, he was big and cheery and buirdly, John Muir, a roadman of Segget [...].

• ludibry

Earlier buirly, of uncertain origin. Possibly from Middle English burely, but that itself is of unknown origin.

• IPA^(key): /bøːrdlɪ/, /buːrdlɪ/

buirdly (comparative mair buirdly, superlative maist buirdly)

1. broad, stocky; buirdly