Illustration of elephant
- 1 African
- 2 Asian
elephant
noun
el·e·phant
ˈe-lə-fənt 
plural elephants also elephant
often attributive
1
a
: a thickset, usually extremely large, nearly hairless, herbivorous mammal (family Elephantidae, the elephant family) that has a snout elongated into a muscular trunk and two incisors in the upper jaw developed especially in the male into long ivory tusks:
(1)
: a tall, large-eared mammal (Loxodonta africana) of tropical Africa that is sometimes considered to comprise two separate species (L. africana of sub-Saharan savannas and L. cyclotis of central and western rainforests)
called also African elephant
(2)
: a relatively small-eared mammal (Elephas maximus) of forests of southeastern Asia
called also Asian elephant, Indian elephant
2
: one that is uncommonly large or hard to manage see also elephant in the room
Examples of elephant in a Sentence
by any standard, the new shopping mall will be an elephant and one that is certain to alter the retail landscape
Recent Examples on the Web
Its approach mirrors that used for the dire wolf: comparing ancient mammoth DNA with that of its closest living relative, the Asian elephant, and introducing mammoth genes associated with cold tolerance.
—
Nia Bowers, USA Today, 24 May 2025
At the Tulsa Zoo, Billy and Tina will be joined in a 17-acre enclosure by five other Asian elephants.
—Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2025
State law prohibits elephants being used in traveling animal acts, attorney Chris Carraway and director and DU law professor Justin Marceau wrote.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 22 May 2025
The elephants' new home in Tulsa spans 17 acres, includes two barns and a 10-acre wooded preserve that is not open to public viewing, and currently houses five other Asian elephants, according to the L.A. Zoo's website.
—Bailey Richards, People.com, 21 May 2025
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Nia Bowers, USA Today, 24 May 2025
At the Tulsa Zoo, Billy and Tina will be joined in a 17-acre enclosure by five other Asian elephants.
—Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2025
State law prohibits elephants being used in traveling animal acts, attorney Chris Carraway and director and DU law professor Justin Marceau wrote.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 22 May 2025
The elephants' new home in Tulsa spans 17 acres, includes two barns and a 10-acre wooded preserve that is not open to public viewing, and currently houses five other Asian elephants, according to the L.A. Zoo's website.
—Bailey Richards, People.com, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for elephant
Cite this Entry
“Elephant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elephant. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
elephant
noun
el·e·phant
ˈel-ə-fənt
: any of a family of huge thickset nearly hairless mammals that have the snout lengthened into a trunk and two incisors in the upper jaw developed into long outward-curving pointed ivory tusks and that include two living forms:
a
: one with large ears that occurs in tropical Africa
b
: one with relatively small ears that occurs in forests of southeastern Asia
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