Indian elephant

American  

[in-dee-uhn el-uh-fuhnt] / ˈɪn di ən ˈɛl ə fənt /

noun

1. the most widely distributed Asian elephant subspecies (Elephas maximus indicus ), inhabiting the grasslands and forests of mainland Asia, mostly throughout Southeast Asia, and classified as endangered: although its habitat is well spread out, its population has declined by more than half within the past 100 years, and poaching for tusks continues to be a serious threat.

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Etymology

Origin of Indian elephant

First recorded in 1600–10

Compare meaning

How does indian-elephant compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• African vs. Indian elephant

Example Sentences

The elephants that are beloved in Thailand are technically under the Indian elephant category, which is a subspecies of the Asian elephant.

From Fox News • Mar. 13, 2022

Indian elephant: Dissections of elephant eyes show that during the day, the gentle giants likely have red-green color blindness just like some humans, meaning they can’t distinguish the two colors.

From Scientific American • May 19, 2021

Her study beds the manuscripts in early-modern empiricism, and beautifully complements the plates — a jewel box of exquisitely rendered sunfish, chameleons, bees, an Indian elephant and more.

From Nature • Apr. 30, 2019

One famous example of an unexpected event was the guest appearance of Lulu the baby Indian elephant in 1969.

From BBC • Oct. 15, 2018

Campbell, J., on the Indian elephant; on the proportion of male and female births in the harems of Siam.

From The Descent of Man by Darwin, Charles