pachyderm

noun

pachy·derm ˈpa-ki-ˌdərm

: any of various nonruminant mammals (such as an elephant, a rhinoceros, or a hippopotamus) of a former group (Pachydermata) that have hooves or nails resembling hooves and usually thick skin

especially : elephant

Did you know?

Pachydermos in Greek means literally "having thick skin" (figuratively, it means "dull" or "stupid"). It's from pachys, meaning "thick," and derma, meaning "skin." In the late 1700s, the French naturalist Georges Cuvier adapted the Greek term as pachyderme for any one of a whole assemblage of hoofed animals having thickish skin: elephants, hippopotamuses, rhinoceroses, tapirs, horses, pigs, and more. English speakers learned the word from French in the early 1800s. The adjective pachydermatous means "of or relating to the pachyderms" or "thickened" (referring to skin). Not too surprisingly, it also means "callous" or "insensitive" (somewhat unfairly especially to elephants, which are actually known to be rather sensitive).

Examples of pachyderm in a Sentence

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The resort itself, a modern build of canvas, stone, and walls of concrete mixed with elephant dung (an ode to the pachyderms and a textural accent) has an intimate atmosphere and just 10 suites. —

Tanveer Badal, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Dec. 2024 In this movie, a pachyderm can reach the heavens, but a veteran filmmaker can’t change his stripes. 12. —

Will Leitch, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2024 But this 10-foot-tall pachyderm, with halftime performances and a larger-than-life-persona that are as captivating as the play, is one of the rare mascots to become a star in her own right. —

Harmeet Kaur, CNN, 5 Oct. 2024 De Niro and Gordon consulted with the Teamsters to design a parking lot system that would allow trucks to drive right up to elephant cars — elevators big enough to contain a pachyderm — leading straight to the studio’s 11 soundstages. —

Julian Sancton, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for pachyderm