elk

American  

[elk] / ɛlk /

noun

• elks,
  plural
• elk
  plural

1. Also called European elk.  the moose, Alces alces.

2. Also called American elk, wapiti.  a large North American deer, Cervus canadensis, the male of which has large, spreading antlers.

3. a pliable leather used for sport shoes, made originally of elk hide but now of calfskin or cowhide tanned and smoked to resemble elk hide.

4. (initial capital letter) a member of a fraternal organization Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks that supports or contributes to various charitable causes.

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elk British  

/ ɛlk /

noun

1. a large deer, Alces alces, of N Europe and Asia, having large flattened palmate antlers: also occurs in North America, where it is called a moose

2. another name for wapiti

3. a stout pliable waterproof leather made from calfskin or horsehide

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• elk
  plural
• elks
  plural

Etymology

Origin of elk

before 900; Middle English; Old English eolc, eolh; cognate with German Elch ( Old High German el ( a ) ho ), Latin alcēs, Greek álkē

Explanation

An elk is an animal that's one of the largest member of the deer family. A male elk's antlers can be up to four feet tall. Though smaller than a moose, which is the biggest member of the Cervidae family, an elk towers above most of its deer relations. Male elk, also known as bulls, are famous for their towering antlers, which they shed every spring before growing new ones. Elk is from a Germanic root; these hoofed mammals are also known as wapiti, or "light-skinned deer" from an Algoquan language.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

elk elks

Introducing electric snowmobiles required the outfitter to come up with tours that cover less ground in search of reindeer, elk and ptarmigan.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026

Early vaccine studies using mouse models that mimic infection in deer and elk have produced encouraging results.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 16, 2026

This would have served as an important feeding ground in the summer for animals such as mammoth, bison, horse, elk, and reindeer, and would have in turn drawn hunter gatherers toward the area.

From BBC ● Jun. 1, 2026

Like the elk, the bison are now thriving.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026

The elk stopped suddenly, and the ranger vaulted lightly from his back to land in knee-deep snow.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

"So, people heard the painted elks talking and the human figures responding with a voice that resembled their own."

From Science Daily ● Nov. 25, 2024

The park is home to 53 species of mammals, including moose, bears, elks, mountain goats and caribou.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2024

In the meantime, the visitor center can point you toward alternative year-round destinations and trails open to ramblers from around the world and a diversity of animals, including Roosevelt elks, Olympic marmots and black bears.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 13, 2023

His father and uncle had shot the immense trophy elks that looked down upon patrons from the walls of the bar.

From New York Times ● May 29, 2023

“You call this waiting?” the imaginary elks seemed to scold.

From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood