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

There is hope that once Osh, a male, arrives at the sanctuary, the 30-year-old pachyderm will reunite with Donna, the zoo’s last remaining female African elephant that was relocated there last year.

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

It is interesting to note the chief differences between the Asiatic and the African elephant.

From The World and Its People: Book VII Views in Africa by Badlam, Anna B.