pachyderm
any of the thick-skinned, nonruminant ungulates, as elephants, hippopotamuses, and rhinoceroses.
an elephant.
a person who is not sensitive to criticism, ridicule, etc.; a thick-skinned person.
Origin of pachyderm
1Other words from pachyderm
- pach·y·der·mal, pach·y·der·mous, pach·y·der·mic, pach·y·der·moid, adjective
Words Nearby pachyderm
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use pachyderm in a sentence
In the mid-19th century, the British anatomist Richard Owen modeled dinosaurs on pachyderms such as the elephant, whereas early American paleontologists looked to the kangaroo as an anatomical guide.
How Tycoons Created the Dinosaur - Issue 107: The Edge | Lukas Rieppel | October 20, 2021 | NautilusOther than aquatic animals, he notes, few creatures other than pachyderms suck up food using something other than simple lung power.
Engineers surprised by the power of an elephant’s trunk | Sid Perkins | June 23, 2021 | Science News For StudentsWhether or not it’s possible to teach an old elephant new tricks, a 34-year-old pachyderm at Zoo Atlanta has recently taught researchers a thing or two about how elephants suck up food and water with their trunks.
Newly recognized tricks help elephants suck up huge amounts of water | Sid Perkins | June 3, 2021 | Science NewsO’Connell’s studies of the elephants at Etosha National Park in Namibia have spanned 30 years and make for delightful pachyderm stories, while at the same time a strength of the book is the variety of animals she includes.
In the animal kingdom, rituals that connect, renew and heal | Barbara King | January 22, 2021 | Washington PostHis keepers fed the beast copious amounts of port, Champagne, and whiskey to pacify the persnickety pachyderm.
Zebra Finches, Dolphins, Elephants, and More Animals Under the Influence | Bill Schulz | December 31, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
The fuzzy pachyderm figured out how to use her trunk to grab stuff in the first week.
Occasionally he paused at the clink clink of the elephant irons or at the "whuff" as the uneasy pachyderm poured dust on his head.
The Adventures of Kathlyn | Harold MacGrathThey were passing on silent as spectres, the tread of the ponderous pachyderm being noiseless as that of a cat.
The Vee-Boers | Mayne ReidIn the first place, it is evident that we may dismiss from our minds the idea that the Behemoth was an extinct pachyderm.
Bible Animals; | J. G. WoodHe had friends—yes, and they held him high—but seeming and report held him pachyderm, and they trod upon his heart.
Stepsons of Light | Eugene Manlove RhodesTheir puny pen pricks have about the same effect as mosquito bites on the pachyderm.
The Lion and The Mouse | Charles Klein
British Dictionary definitions for pachyderm
/ (ˈpækɪˌdɜːm) /
any very large thick-skinned mammal, such as an elephant, rhinoceros, or hippopotamus
Origin of pachyderm
1Derived forms of pachyderm
- pachydermatous, adjective
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
Scientific definitions for pachyderm
[ păk′ĭ-dûrm′ ]
Any of various large, thick-skinned mammals, such as the elephant, rhinoceros, or hippopotamus.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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