Scot (hist.) one of a Gaelic-speaking people first known in Ireland, and later settled in north Britain (Scotland) OE.; native of Scotland XIV. OE. *Scot, only in pl. Scottas — late L. Scottus; ult. orig. unkn.
So Scotch XVI, Scots XIV (Scottis), reduced vars of Scottish (-ISH1) XIII (repl. OE. Scyttisċ). Scotchman XVI, Scotsman XIV (Scottis man).

Scot / skät/ • n. a native of Scotland or a person of Scottish descent. ∎  a member of a Gaelic people that migrated from Ireland to Scotland around the late 5th century.

scot payment, contribution; scot and lot, taxes levied by a municipal corporation in proportionate shares upon its members. XIII. In ME. partly — ON. skot (- OE. scot SHOT), partly aphetic — OF. escot (mod. écot), of Gmc. orig.; in late use to some extent an antiquarian revival of the OE. form.
Hence scot-free exempt from the payment of scot, fine, etc.; exempt from injury or punishment. XVI.

scot archaic term for a payment corresponding to a modern tax, rate, or other assessed contribution; the word comes (in late Old English) from Old Norse skot ‘a shot’, reinforced by Old French escot, of Germanic origin.