elephant
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el·e·phant
(ĕl′ə-fənt)n.
Idiom: 1. Any of several very large herbivorous mammals of the family Elephantidae native to Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia, having thick, almost hairless skin, a long, flexible, prehensile trunk, upper incisors forming long curved tusks of ivory, and, in the African species, large fan-shaped ears.
2. Any of various extinct animals of the family Elephantidae.
elephant in the room
A matter or problem that is obvious or of great importance but that is not discussed openly.
[Middle English elefaunt, from Old French elefant, from Latin elephantus, from Greek elephās, elephant-, ivory, elephant, probably of Afro-Asiatic origin; akin to Tawllemet (Berber language of Mali) eləw and Mokilko (Chadic language of central Chad) 'êlbi, elephant, and possibly also to Egyptian 3bw, elephant, ivory, and Oromo arba, elephant.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
elephant
(ˈɛlɪfənt)n, pl -phants or -phant
1. (Animals) either of the two proboscidean mammals of the family Elephantidae. The African elephant (Loxodonta africana) is the larger species, with large flapping ears and a less humped back than the Indian elephant (Elephas maximus), of S and SE Asia
2. (Printing, Lithography & Bookbinding) chiefly Brit a size of writing paper, 23 by 28 inches
3. elephant in the room an obvious truth deliberately ignored by all parties in a situation
[C13: from Latin elephantus, from Greek elephas elephant, ivory, of uncertain origin]
ˈelephanˌtoid adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
el•e•phant
(ˈɛl ə fənt)n., pl. -phants, (esp. collectively) -phant for 1.
1. either of two very large five-toed mammals of the family Elephantidae, characterized by a long prehensile trunk and large tusks esp. in the males, including Loxodonta africana of Africa, with large flapping ears, and Elephas maximus of India, with smaller ears.
[1250–1300; < Latin elephantus < Greek eléphās, s. elephant- ivory, elephant]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
el·e·phant
(ĕl′ə-fənt)1. A large mammal having thick, nearly hairless skin, a long flexible trunk, and long curved ivory tusks. There are two living species of elephants, the African and the Indian elephant. They can live over 60 years in the wild and display complex social behavior.
2. Any of various extinct animals, such as the mammoths, that are related to the living elephants.
The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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| Noun | 1. |  elephant - five-toed pachyderm tusk - a long pointed tooth specialized for fighting or digging; especially in an elephant or walrus or hog pachyderm - any of various nonruminant hoofed mammals having very thick skin: elephant; rhinoceros; hippopotamus proboscidean, proboscidian - massive herbivorous mammals having tusks and a long trunk Elephantidae, family Elephantidae - elephants rogue elephant - a wild and vicious elephant separated from the herd Elephas maximus, Indian elephant - Asian elephant having smaller ears and tusks primarily in the male African elephant, Loxodonta africana - an elephant native to Africa having enormous flapping ears and ivory tusks mammoth - any of numerous extinct elephants widely distributed in the Pleistocene; extremely large with hairy coats and long upcurved tusks gomphothere - extinct elephants of Central American and South America; of the Miocene and Pleistocene |
| 2. | elephant - the symbol of the Republican Party; introduced in cartoons by Thomas Nast in 1874 |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
elephant
nounCollins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
Translations
فيلفِيل
слон
slon
elefant
elefanto
elevant
elefanttinorsu
slonslonica
elefánt
gajah
fíll
ゾウ
코끼리
elephantuselephas
dramblys
zilonis
słońsłonica
elefant
slon
slonslonica
elefant
ndovutembo
ช้าง
слон
con voi
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
elephant
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
elephant
[ˈɛlɪfənt] n → elefante/essaCollins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
elephant
(ˈelifənt) noun a very large type of animal with very thick skin, a trunk and two tusks.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
elephant
→ فِيل slon elefant Elefant ελέφαντας elefante elefantti éléphant slon elefante ゾウ 코끼리 olifant elefant słoń elefante слон elefant ช้าง fil con voi 大象Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009