African pygmy elephant

[ af-ri-kuhn pig-mee el-uh-fuhnt ]

noun

1. a small African elephant of the Congo Basin that was formerly considered a distinct species ( Loxodonta pumilio ), but is now thought to be a diminutive form of the African forest elephant, the stunted growth likely due to environmental conditions.

Word History and Origins

Origin of African pygmy elephant¹

First recorded in 2000–05