A makar is a term from Scottish literature for a poet or bard, often thought of as a royal court poet, although the term can be more generally applied. The word functions in a manner similar to the Greek term (poietes) which means both maker and poet. It especially highlights the role of the poet as someone skilled in the crafting or making of controlled, formal poetry with intricate or involved diction and effects. The term is normally applied to poets writing in Scots although it need not be exclusive to Scottish writers. William Dunbar for instance referred to the English poets Chaucer, Lydgate and Gower as makars.