Etymology

Clifton

C3L1I1F4T1O1N1

Today it means: An English habitational surname from Old English for someone who lived in one of the places in England. Full definition →

Old English clif
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Clifton · proper noun1

  1. Old English · derived fromclif“cliff”
  2. English todayClifton

*Literally meaning "town by a cliff." From Old English clif (“cliff”) + tūn (“town”). Analyzable as cliff + -ton. *In Oregon County, Missouri, from Cliff + -ton. From being named after a Cliff, or which may be clipped to Clif.

Clifton · proper noun2

Calque of terms meaning cliff+town

Words from the same roots

Old Englishclif all →

cliffCliffordCliffeCleveley

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.