elk

American  

[elk] / ɛlk /

noun

plural

elks,

plural

elk

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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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

The mining group had considered merging newly acquired Elk Valley Resources with its own coal activities and spinning it off.

From Barron's • Jan. 8, 2026

In Elk Grove, Calif., near Sacramento—where police deployed drones on July Fourth—the department makes drone flight records available to the public on its website.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 28, 2025

Light shaking was reported in Santa Rosa and north near Clearlake, and as far south as San José, as well as to the east in Sacramento and Elk Grove.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 14, 2025

The records show her linked to several homes in Elk Grove, including one that went into foreclosure in 2012.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 14, 2025

“I was sure Elk Creek, a big stream from the north, would be flowing,” remembered Buzz.

From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone