Rob Roy
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A nickname given to Robert M'Gregor (1671-1734), a noted Scot- tish outlaw and freebooter, on account of his red hair.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Rob Roy” mean?
A nickname given to Robert M'Gregor (1671-1734), a noted Scot- tish outlaw and freebooter, on account of his red hair.
Is “Rob Roy” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.