elephant

noun

el·​e·​phant ˈe-lə-fənt 

plural elephants also elephant

often attributive

1

a

: a thickset, usually extremely large, nearly hairless, herbivorous mammal (family Elephantidae, the elephant family) that has a snout elongated into a muscular trunk and two incisors in the upper jaw developed especially in the male into long ivory tusks:

(1)

: a tall, large-eared mammal (Loxodonta africana) of tropical Africa that is sometimes considered to comprise two separate species (L. africana of sub-Saharan savannas and L. cyclotis of central and western rainforests)

called also African elephant

(2)

: a relatively small-eared mammal (Elephas maximus) of forests of southeastern Asia

called also Asian elephant, Indian elephant

b

: any of various extinct relatives of the elephant see mammoth, mastodon

2

: one that is uncommonly large or hard to manage see also elephant in the room

Illustration of elephant

• 1 African
• 2 Asian

Synonyms

• behemoth
• blockbuster
• colossus
• dinosaur
• dreadnought
• giant
• Goliath
• jumbo
• leviathan
• mammoth
• mastodon
• monster
• titan
• whale
• whopper

Examples of elephant in a Sentence

by any standard, the new shopping mall will be an elephant and one that is certain to alter the retail landscape

Recent Examples on the Web

The pair really do go through the ringer, evading elephant stampedes, treacherous mountains, and ice cold snowy condidtions that look like Disney is setting up a cross over sequel with Frozen. —Pete Hammond, Deadline, 17 Dec. 2024

The warmth emanates from her words, and the elephant metaphor at the heart of the piece is a valuable lesson for anyone facing an uphill struggle (i.e., nearly everyone). —Michelle Weber, Longreads, 13 Dec. 2024

This includes tender perennials like dahlias, cannas, gladiolus, agapanthus, and elephant ears. Plants in Fluctuating Temperatures In regions with frequent freeze-thaw cycles, especially in USDA Hardiness Zones 7 and 8, soil can shift and expose roots to damage. —Macie Stump, Southern Living, 12 Dec. 2024

African elephants can live up to 70 years, while their slightly smaller Asian elephant relatives may reach 60 years of age. —Brian Handwerk, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French olifant, elefant, from L. elephantus, from Greek elephant-, elephas

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing elephant

• African elephant
• Asian elephant
• Asiatic elephant
• elephant bird
• elephant garlic
• elephant grass
• elephant in the room
• elephant seal
• elephant's ear
• Indian elephant
• rogue elephant
• white elephant

Kids Definition

elephant

noun

el·​e·​phant ˈel-ə-fənt 

: any of a family of huge thickset nearly hairless mammals that have the snout lengthened into a trunk and two incisors in the upper jaw developed into long outward-curving pointed ivory tusks and that include two living forms:

a

: one with large ears that occurs in tropical Africa

b

: one with relatively small ears that occurs in forests of southeastern Asia