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• murphy
  murphy

  noun

  an Irish or white potato.
• Murphy
  Murphy

  noun

  Frank, 1890–1949, U.S. statesman and jurist: associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court 1940–49.

murphy

¹ American  

[mur-fee] / ˈmɜr fi /

noun

murphies plural

1. an Irish or white potato.

2. any of various confidence games in which a victim is left with a sealed envelope supposedly containing money, but which contains only newspaper or scrap paper cut to the same size as paper money.

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verb (used with object)

murphied, murphying

1. to victimize or dupe in such a manner.

Murphy ² American  

[mur-fee] / ˈmɜr fi /

noun

1. Frank, 1890–1949, U.S. statesman and jurist: associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court 1940–49.

2. Isaac, 1861–96, U.S. thoroughbred racehorse jockey.

3. William Parry 1892–1987, U.S. physician: Nobel Prize in medicine 1934.

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Murphy ¹ British  

/ ˈmɜːfɪ /

noun

1. Alex. born 1939, English rugby league player and coach; scored 16 tries in 27 test matches for Great Britain (1958–71)

2. Eddie, full name Edward Regan Murphy . born 1951, US film actor and comedian. His films include 48 Hours (1982), Beverly Hills Cop (1984), Coming to America (1988), Dr Dolittle (1998), and, as a voice artist, the Shrek series of animated films (2001–10)

3. William Parry. 1892–1987, US physician: with G. R. Minot, he discovered the liver treatment for anaemia and they shared, with G. H. Whipple, the Nobel prize for physiology or medicine in 1934

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murphy ² British  

/ ˈmɜːfɪ /

noun

1. a dialect or informal word for potato

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• murphies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of murphy

First recorded in 1805–15; special uses of Murphy, a typical Irish surname

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

murphy Murphy murphies

A studio apartment with a shared murphy bed became their home.

From Washington Times ● Oct. 15, 2015

Mike reached over and carefully selected a big murphy, which he held with the thumb of his left hand and fingers circling about it.

From The Launch Boys' Adventures in Northern Waters by Hughes, Burton Donnel

A piece of sea-weed has often, heretofore, been used as a barometer; but it is only of late that this purpose has been answered by a murphy.

From The Comic Latin Grammar A new and facetious introduction to the Latin tongue by Leech, John

District Judge Charlotte Murphy granted Cordina unconditional bail until a trial, which was set for 13 October this year.

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

Viewers were surprised early in the series when Kavan, who was sent in as a bombshell, was revealed to be the brother of day-one contestant Aidan Murphy.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

And Capital One analyst Connor Murphy is newly upbeat about the potential for shares of Palo Alto Networks to sustain momentum.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 16, 2026

His “Peaky Blinders” co-star Cillian Murphy remembered Neill as “one of the kindest, funniest and gentlest people, and one of the finest actors,” while Nicole Kidman celebrated Neill as “one of the greats.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026

Mr. Murphy looked at his watch for the hundredth time.

From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith

"Here's the murphies," cried O'Connor, staggering over the slippery weed with a large smoking tin dish.

From The Lighthouse by Ballantyne, R. M. (Robert Michael)

Jack Robinson earnestly advised the faithless man to go home, and help his grandmother, thenceforth, to plant murphies; after which he embarked in his canoe alone, and paddled away into the dreary north.

From Fort Desolation Red Indians and Fur Traders of Rupert's Land by Ballantyne, R. M. (Robert Michael)

The rich, tawny soil seemed specially adapted to the crop; the great yellow murphies rolling out of the hills like eggs from a nest.

From Omoo by Melville, Herman

She bakes such stunning murphies, we'll have a penn'orth each for tea.

From Tom Brown's School Days by Hughes, Thomas

This was no very cruel task, for "the rich tawny soil seemed specially adapted to the crop; the great yellow murphies rolling out of the hills like eggs from a nest."

From Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 61, No. 380, June, 1847 by Various

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