elephant

[ el-uh-fuhnt ]
See synonyms for: elephantelephants on Thesaurus.com

noun,plural el·e·phants, (especially collectively) el·e·phant for 1.
  1. a very large herbivorous mammal of the family Elephantidae, the only extant family of proboscideans and comprising the genera Loxodonta (African elephants) and Elephas (Asian elephants): Elephants of all species are characterized by a long, prehensile trunk formed of the nose and upper lip, pillarlike legs, and prominent tusks, which are possessed by both sexes of Loxodonta and just the males of Elephas.: See also white elephant (def. 3).

  2. a representation of this animal, used in the United States since 1874 as the emblem of the Republican Party.

  1. Chiefly British. a size of drawing or writing paper, 23 × 28 inches (58 × 71 centimeters).

Idioms about elephant

  1. elephant in the room. See entry at elephant in the room.

Origin of elephant

1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English (from Anglo-French ), from Latin elephantus, from Greek elephant- (stem of eléphās ) “elephant”; replacing Middle English olifaunt, from Anglo-French, from unattested Vulgar Latin olifantus, for Latin elephantus

word story For elephant

Other words from elephant

  • el·e·phan·toid, adjective

Words Nearby elephant

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use elephant in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for elephant

elephant

/ (ˈɛlɪfənt) /


nounplural -phants or -phant
  1. either of the two proboscidean mammals of the family Elephantidae . The African elephant (Loxodonta africana) is the larger species, with large flapping ears and a less humped back than the Indian elephant (Elephas maximus), of S and SE Asia

  2. mainly British a size of writing paper, 23 by 28 inches

  1. elephant in the room an obvious truth deliberately ignored by all parties in a situation

Origin of elephant

1
C13: from Latin elephantus, from Greek elephas elephant, ivory, of uncertain origin

Derived forms of elephant

  • elephantoid, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for elephant

elephant

A symbol (see also symbol) of the Republican party, introduced in a series of political cartoons by Thomas Nast during the congressional elections of 1874. (Compare donkey.)

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Other Idioms and Phrases with elephant

elephant

see see the elephant; white elephant.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.