morris

plural morrises

1. engineeringA type of pike.

   Another kind of pike called a morris, that is a Moorish pike, was much in fashion about the reigns of Henry VIII. and Elizabeth.

   1786, Francis Grose, A Treatise on Ancient Armour and Weapons, page 49

2. A morris dance.

present singular third person morrises · participle present morrising · participle past morrised · past morrised

1. To perform morris dancing.

plural morrises

1. obsoleteThe young of the conger eel or similar fish, originally thought to be a separate species.

plural Morrises

1. A male given name.
   1. countableuncountableA male given name from Old French, a medieval form of French Maurice.
   2. countableuncountableA male given name transferred from the surname.
2. A surname.
   1. countableuncountableAn English and Scottish surname originating as a patronymic.
   2. countableuncountableA surname from Irish, an anglicization of Irish Ó Muirghis, from Ó (“descendant”) and Muirghis (“of Maurice”).
   3. countableuncountableA surname from Welsh [in turn originating as a patronymic], an anglicization of Welsh Meurig (“Maurice”).
3. A placename:
   1. countableuncountableA town in Manitoba, Canada; named for Canadian politician Alexander Morris.
   2. countableuncountableA rural municipality in central Saskatchewan, Canada; in full, the Rural Municipality of Morris No. 312.
   3. countableuncountableA town in Jefferson County, Alabama; named for early pioneer Mae Morris.
   4. countableuncountableA town in Litchfield County, Connecticut; named for Revolutionary War officer James Morris III.
   5. countableuncountableAn unincorporated community in Quitman County, Georgia; named for James Morris, a son of a railroad agent.
   6. countableuncountableA city, the county seat of Grundy County, Illinois.
   7. countableuncountableA township in Grundy County, Illinois.
   8. countableuncountableAn unincorporated community in Adams Township, Ripley County, Indiana.
   9. countableuncountableA city, the county seat of Stevens County, Minnesota; named for railroad official Charles A. Morris.
   10. countableuncountableA township in Stevens County, Minnesota.
   11. countableuncountableA town and village in Otsego County, New York; named for Gen. Jacob Morris, son of Declaration of Independence signatory Lewis Morris.
   12. countableuncountableA township in Knox County, Ohio.
   13. countableuncountableA city in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma.
   14. countableuncountableA township and unincorporated community therein, in Tioga County, Pennsylvania.
   15. countableuncountableFour other townships in Pennsylvania, in Clearfield County, Greene County, Huntingdon County and Washington County.
   16. countableuncountableAn unincorporated community in Nicholas County, West Virginia; named for a local family.
   17. countableuncountableA ghost town in Kanawha County, West Virginia.
   18. countableuncountableA town in Shawano County, Wisconsin.
4. countableuncountableA type of folk dance originating in England.

   Synonyms: morris dance

5. countableuncountableA former make of British motor car.