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

Shankar, the lone African elephant at Delhi's zoo who spent much of his life in isolation, refused food on Wednesday and collapsed by evening.

From BBC

African elephants typically live to be 60 to 70 years old in the wild, thanks in part to the survival advantages they obtain through their protective family social structures.

From Los Angeles Times

While she said the five elderly African elephants were "majestic," the court ruled the claim could not be brought "because an elephant is not a person".

From BBC

Charley, an aging African elephant, had outlived other elephants at a South Africa zoo.

From Los Angeles Times