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surname definition

sur·name (sʉr′nām′)

noun

  1. the family name, or last name, as distinguished from a given name
  2. a name or epithet added to a person's given name (Ex.: Ivan the Terrible)

Etymology: ME < sur- (see sur-) + name, infl. by earlier surnoun < OFr surnom < sur- + nom < L nomen, name

transitive verb surnamed -·named′, surnaming -·nam′·ing

to give a surname to

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