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Olifant and its variations (ex. oliphant, olyphant) are archaic spellings of elephant. Aside from elephants, the word has been used to refer to ivory, elephant tusks, musical horns made of elephant tusks, or a musical instrument resembling such horns.
It appears in Middle English as olifant or olifaunt, and was borrowed from Medieval French olifanz. In Dutch olifant means elephant. The French word owes something to both Old High German olbenta "camel", and to Latin elephantus "elephant", a word of Greek origin. OHG olbenta is a word of old Germanic origin; cf. Gothic ulbandus also meaning "camel". But the form of the OHG and Gothic words suggests it is also a borrowing, perhaps indeed directly or indirectly from Greek elephas (ελεφας) literally "ivory", though apparently with some confusion as to the animal the word referred to.
The word survives as the surname "Oliphant" found throughout the English speaking world. Although, other sources derive this from "Olive" meaning "peace-loving".
The Song of Roland features an olifant horn owned by the knight Roland.
The word is also used as a name in fiction such as The Canterbury Tales and The Lord of the Rings.
Bibliography
- Oxford English Dictionary OUP
- The Song of Roland, (Oxford text, 1972. Translated by Douglas David and Roy Owen. George Allen and Unwin, ISBN 0048410039)