dwarf elephant
[ dwawrf-el-uh-fuhnt ]
/ ˈdwɔrf ˌɛl ə fənt /
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noun
any of numerous prehistoric proboscideans that evolved into much smaller sizes than their immediate ancestors, which had colonized islands unable to sustain their larger forms: the dwarf elephant fossils found on Mediterranean, Indonesian, and Californian islands provide evidence for the phenomenon of insular dwarfism.
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Compare African pygmy elephant.
Origin of dwarf elephant
First recorded in 1865–70
historical usage of dwarf elephant
See Borneo elephant.
Words nearby dwarf elephant
dwarf cherry, dwarf chestnut, dwarf cornel, dwarf crested iris, dwarf door, dwarf elephant, dwarf galaxy, dwarf ginseng, dwarf huckleberry, dwarfing, dwarfish
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021