Irish elk

American  

noun

1. an extinct deerlike mammal of the genus Megaceros (Megaloceros ), of the Pleistocene Epoch, having in the male extremely large, broad antlers.

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Irish elk British  

noun

1. an extinct Eurasian giant deer of the Pleistocene genus Megaloceros, which had antlers up to 4 metres across

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Etymology

Origin of Irish elk

First recorded in 1815–25

Example Sentences

"It's from something bigger than a cow, from a mammoth, Irish elk and aurochs to more unusual stuff like wild horse or rhino," he told the BBC.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

This is the Academy’s darling fossil Irish elk.

From Scientific American • Apr. 23, 2012

The Irish elk was originally determined to be an elk because of its teeth’s similarity to the modern elk, Cervus canadensis.

From Scientific American • Apr. 23, 2012

Well, Irish elk are no exception, and to begin sculpting the dentures, Fred needed to construct a solid base for the dentures which would fit neatly into the fossil skull.

From Scientific American • Apr. 23, 2012

He had been seeing the country, and had found a swamp about three miles off full of fresh tracks, "so big moose," and he described tracks such as must have belonged to the Irish elk.

From Hunting in Many Lands The Book of the Boone and Crockett Club by Various