dwarf elephant

[ dwawrf-el-uh-fuhnt ]

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.

Origin of dwarf elephant

¹

First recorded in 1865–70

word story For dwarf elephant

See Borneo elephant.

Compare African pygmy elephant.

Words Nearby dwarf elephant

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use dwarf elephant in a sentence

The dwarf elephant, thirty-five inches high, was brought into the arena in an ordinary trunk.
The Adventures of Uncle Jeremiah and Family at the Great Fair | Charles McCellan Stevens (AKA 'Quondam')
I simply adore them, and I should have liked to have a dwarf elephant.
My Double Life | Sarah Bernhardt

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