elk

American  

[elk] / ɛlk /

noun

elks plural

1. Also called European elk.  the moose, Alces alces.

2. Also called American elk, wapiti.  a large North American deer, Cervus canadensis, the male of which has large, spreading antlers.

3. a pliable leather used for sport shoes, made originally of elk hide but now of calfskin or cowhide tanned and smoked to resemble elk hide.

4. (initial capital letter) a member of a fraternal organization Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks that supports or contributes to various charitable causes.

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elk British  

/ ɛlk /

noun

1. a large deer, Alces alces, of N Europe and Asia, having large flattened palmate antlers: also occurs in North America, where it is called a moose

2. another name for wapiti

3. a stout pliable waterproof leather made from calfskin or horsehide

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Etymology

Origin of elk

before 900; Middle English; Old English eolc, eolh; cognate with German Elch ( Old High German el ( a ) ho ), Latin alcēs, Greek álkē

Explanation

An elk is an animal that's one of the largest member of the deer family. A male elk's antlers can be up to four feet tall. Though smaller than a moose, which is the biggest member of the Cervidae family, an elk towers above most of its deer relations. Male elk, also known as bulls, are famous for their towering antlers, which they shed every spring before growing new ones. Elk is from a Germanic root; these hoofed mammals are also known as wapiti, or "light-skinned deer" from an Algoquan language.

Example Sentences

Grizzly bears, which can kill and eat large prey like elk and moose, often weigh twice as much as black bears, have larger claws and are considerably more aggressive.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026

“Fundamentally, yes, we are competitors, and they are a very foreign competitor,” said Seyfert, an avid elk hunter and U.S. firearms-industry lifer.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

Sure, the closest grocery store may be leagues away and, yeah, the freezer is stocked with elk meat instead of ice cream.

From Salon • Mar. 23, 2026

"I incorporated that into the appetisers so I'm doing grilled elk sliders, which I think is fun."

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

By day only half a dozen ravens stayed with them, flitting from tree to tree or riding on the antlers of the elk.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin