 The word is encountered as "gadgie" (or sometimes "gadge"), a term in Scots, formerly only used by the Roma/Traveller community, but since the 20th century in general use by the Scots-speaking population.In most areas it is heard, notably Edinburgh, the Borders and Dingwall, gadgie has a generalised meaning of a man that the speaker doesn't know well.In Dundee it is a more pejorative term, referring to a poorly educated person who engages in hooliganism or petty criminality.