elephant

[el-uh-fuhnt]

noun

plural

elephants ,

plural

elephant .

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.

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

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

elephant

/ ˈɛlɪfənt /

noun

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. a size of writing paper, 23 by 28 inches

3. an obvious truth deliberately ignored by all parties in a situation

elephant

1. 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.)

Other Word Forms

• elephantoid adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of elephant¹

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 History and Origins

Origin of elephant¹

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

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. elephant in the room. elephant in the room.

see see the elephant; white elephant.

Example Sentences

“I thought I was having a stroke, like an elephant was on my head,” Michaelis said from her garden, while she slowly made her way through a tomato and mozzarella salad her husband had prepared.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

“This will turn into a total white elephant,” said Capellán, president of the industrial park near the Dominican Republic.

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"The elephant in the room is that, in those tournaments, there were other teams who were simply better than us," said former goalkeeper David James on BBC Radio 5 Live.

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But before we confront the gender elephant in the room, it’s necessary to explore why Greene is actually doing a lot of smart things.

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Now, his own commerce secretary has upended the administration’s strategy of evasion, which has at times been quite effective, by naming the elephant in the room — or, in this case, on the National Mall.

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Related Words

• boar