mahout

American

[muh-hout] / məˈhaʊt /

noun

the keeper or driver of an elephant, especially in India and the East Indies.

mahout British

/ məˈhaʊt /

noun

(in India and the East Indies) an elephant driver or keeper

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of mahout

1655–65; < Hindi mahāut, variant of mahāvat; compare Prakrit mahāmatta, Sanskrit mahāmatra elephant driver

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Similar charges of negligence have previously been pressed against mahouts whose elephants killed tourists.

From BBC

"The documentary's success was a 'moment of national pride' that has brought widespread recognition for the work of mahouts like Bomman and Bellie," they said.

From BBC

Several mahouts went to Sri Lanka in advance to accustom the animal to being caged so he wouldn’t panic during the trip to Thailand.

From Washington Times

Several mahouts had been sent beforehand to Sri Lanka to help the elephant feel at ease in a cage so he wouldn’t panic while being transported.

From Seattle Times

Perera, who oversees his care, along with a mahout and other staff, said he would probably need hydrotherapy facilities that Sri Lanka lacks to restore full movement.

From Reuters

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023