Dominie

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For other uses, see Dominie (disambiguation)

Dominie is a Scots language and Scottish English term for a Scottish schoolmaster or a minister, usually of the Church of Scotland but sometimes of other presbyterian churches in Scotland.

[edit] Origin

It comes from the Latin domine (vocative case of Dominus 'Lord, Master') and is equivalent to the Dutch Dominee which also refers to protestant clergy. When the Church of Scotland began to introduce universal provision of education in Scotland after it became established as a national church in 1560, its aim was for each church to have a university educated schoolmaster, so that there was a school for every parish. The minister often also served as the schoolmaster, and was commonly called the "dominie". Over time this came to be used as a slightly contemptuous term for a minister or for a schoolmaster.