Murphy

A common surname from Irish, the anglicized form of Irish Ó Murchadha

Proper noun

  1. A common surname from Irish, the anglicized form of Irish Ó Murchadha
    • After a long talk between these two, and a little broken English from the Frenchmen, our visitors took leave; but Father Murphy had hardly gone a dozen rods when back he came, inquiring whether we were in want of...
    • A Granite Bay home previously owned by actor and comedian Eddie Murphy is back on the market for $12 million. - 2015 October 1, Elaine Goodman, “Hot Property: Eddie Murphy's former home is back on the market...
  2. A unisex given name transferred from the surname, of occasional usage.
    • Sonja made me promise I would go to college. She said she'd wanted her daughter, Murphy, to go. She'd named her baby Murphy because it could never be a stripper name. But her daughter had changed her name to London. -...
  3. A number of places in the United States:

    1. A census-designated place, the county seat of Owyhee County, Idaho.

    2. A census-designated place in Jefferson County, Missouri.

    3. A town, the county seat of Cherokee County, North Carolina.

    4. A city in Collin County, Texas.

    5. An unincorporated community in Buchanan County, Virginia.

    6. An unincorporated community in Barbour County, West Virginia.

  4. A town in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina.

Origin

From Irish Ó Murchadha (“descendant of Murrough”), Mac Murchaidh (“Son of Murrough”), etc. See Muircath.

Forms

Morphis

Derived

in the arms of Murphy murphy Murphy bed Murphy drip Murphy game Murphy-Lane bone skid Murphysboro Murphy's button Murphy's law Murphy's punch Murphy's test

Noun

  1. Ellipsis of Murphy game (“type of confidence trick”).

Forms

Murphies Morphis

Verb

  1. To swindle by means of the Murphy game confidence trick.

Forms

Murphies Murphying Murphied Morphis