elk

[elk]

noun

plural

elks ,

plural

elk .

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.

elk

/ 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of elk¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of elk¹

Old English eolh; related to Old Norse elgr, Old High German elaho, Latin alcēs, Greek alkē, elaphos deer

Example Sentences

But what was once a beloved attraction with a catchy commercial jingle has faced growing scrutiny over its care for animals, which also included land animals like bears and elk.

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A wandering elk spotted at dozens of locations across Central Europe this summer has been captured by authorities in Austria and released close to the Czech border.

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It ebbs around an elk’s skull, five-point antlers still attached, and a muzzle loader hanging on the wall.

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The 76-year-old retired state employee, former gun store owner and avid elk hunter from La Grande, Oregon, is on a mission to keep turbines and transmission towers from blighting the rural landscape.

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It teemed with birds, beavers and tule elk, and sustained Yokut tribes who made their homes along the lakeshore and the rivers.

Read more on Los Angeles Times