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Oliphant

Oliphant

9 9.5
A family name from Scotland
  • proper noun
: Oliphant
  • Both Oliphant and Harrie Massey, who also came, were subsequently knighted by the queen.
  • Tom Oliphant
  • Mr. Oliphant
  • Pat Oliphant

Recommendations ranging from Travis Oliphant to Eric Weinstein.

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Examples

  • I think we should all pay a visit to our old friend Oliver Oliphant.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • You know, I'm really not mad at you, Miss Oliphant.

  • Mr. Oliphant, you are his personal friend.

  • This is her chair, Sergeant, but, uh, Miss Oliphant is--

  • Shall I push you, Miss Oliphant?

  • Abergail is missing and so is Miss Oliphant.

  • Marcus Oliphant, who had come to the US from England, arranged for a group of superb physicists to come from that war-torn nation.

    Academic text (2006)
  • Mr. Oliphant always had the best stories to share at family gatherings.

  • In the history book, I learned about a famous Scottish clan named Oliphant.

  • The award was presented to Sarah Oliphant for her contributions to literature.

Surface Forms

Oliphant main

Etymology

Oliphant is a Scottish family name that comes from an old word olifant, meaning 'elephant' and also the name for a 'horn' made from an elephant's tusk. One popular story says the name began as a nickname for someone who owned or blew such a horn, and that is why it became a family name.