How is the word ‘sasine’ pronounced and what does it mean?

Strictly speaking, the word ‘sasine’ is pronounced ‘sezin’, but in archive search rooms in Scotland you are most likely to hear it pronounced ‘say-zeen’.

Sasine means ‘possession’, especially with regard to property. It is similar to the English word ‘seize’, and it medieval times, when property was granted there was a ritual seizing of a clod of earth (or some other symbolic part of the property) in front of witnesses. Further information about this can be found in the website of the Registers of Scotland <https://www.ros.gov.uk/> [accessed 26 April 2024].