African elephant

American  

[af-ri-kuhn el-uh-fuhnt] / ˈæf rɪ kən ˈɛl ə fənt /

noun

1. an elephant of the genus Loxodonta, with two extant species, the larger African bush elephant and the African forest elephant, both found in sub-Saharan Africa and previously considered subspecies rather than genetically distinct: Compared to an Asian elephant, an African elephant is larger and has enormous ears, a rounder head, a trunk ending in two fingers rather than one, and conspicuous tusks occurring in both sexes.

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Etymology

Origin of African elephant

First recorded in 1600–20

Compare meaning

How does african-elephant compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• African elephant vs. Asian elephant

Example Sentences

A rodent-borne virus led to the death of the only African elephant at the zoo in India's capital Delhi, officials have told the BBC.

From BBC • Nov. 4, 2025

In 2024, the Oakland Zoo decided to send Osh, its last remaining African elephant, to the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee.

From Salon • Feb. 18, 2025

After 20 years living in the Oakland Zoo, the park’s last remaining African elephant, Osh, will be relocated to the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee later this year, the zoo announced in a press release.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 14, 2024

The heaviest land mammal alive today is the African elephant at around 6.6 tonnes -- yet some land dinosaurs, like the Patagotitan, likely weighed much more than 40 tonnes.

From Science Daily • Mar. 12, 2024

The African elephant is undoubtedly distinct, and the female has large, well-developed tusks, though not so large as those of the male.

From The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex Volume II (1st Edition) by Darwin, Charles