A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1420-1552
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Oliphant, Olyphant, Olifant, n. Also: olymphant. [ME. olifant (c 1205), -faunt, olyfant, -font, olifunt (Chaucer), e.m.E. olyphaunt (Caxton), olyfaunte, oliphant (1555), OF. olifant. Cf. Elephant.]
1. An elephant. = Elephant n. 1. c1420 Wynt. i. 752 (W).
His taill as oliphantis are c1420 Ib. iv. 1335.
Olifantis c1420 Ib. i. 806. 1456 Hay I. 47/24.
Olyphantis c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 5919.
Oliphantis wele sex skore in ane front With somer castell full of Syreanis c1460 Ib. 10690.
Five hundreth olymphantis to battalle dichtis a1500 Henr. Fab. 892 (Bann.). c1490 Porteous Noblenes 170/6. a1500 Tale of the Colkelbie Sow i. 448. a1500 Bk. Chess 1768. a1538 Abell 14 a.
400 oliphantis with towris on thair bakis c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2995.
2. Ivory. (Cf. Elephant n. 2.) c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 3343.
Thay blew thare bewgillis of bane and oliphant
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"Oliphant n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/oliphant>
