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
So rare was the sighting of an elephant in Andoni a couple of years ago that it was reported in a newspaper.
—
Noo Saro-Wiwa, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026
The symbolism in their designs has expanded beyond the horoscope and include Ayatul Kursi (The Throne Verse from the Quran), a Virgin Mary ring, pomegranate motifs for prosperity, Hamsa hands for protection, the evil eye to ward off negativity, and the elephant as a symbol of good fortune.
—Milena Lazazzera, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026
Expect Murano chandeliers, mirrors by Sogni di Cristallo, custom Pierre Frey fabrics, and minibars disguised as brass elephants shipped over from Jaipur.
—Katharine Sohn, Architectural Digest, 20 Mar. 2026
A day at an elephant sanctuary became the emotional centerpiece of the trip.
—Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for elephant
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Noo Saro-Wiwa, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026
The symbolism in their designs has expanded beyond the horoscope and include Ayatul Kursi (The Throne Verse from the Quran), a Virgin Mary ring, pomegranate motifs for prosperity, Hamsa hands for protection, the evil eye to ward off negativity, and the elephant as a symbol of good fortune.
—Milena Lazazzera, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026
Expect Murano chandeliers, mirrors by Sogni di Cristallo, custom Pierre Frey fabrics, and minibars disguised as brass elephants shipped over from Jaipur.
—Katharine Sohn, Architectural Digest, 20 Mar. 2026
A day at an elephant sanctuary became the emotional centerpiece of the trip.
—Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for elephant
Cite this Entry
“Elephant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elephant. Accessed 26 Mar. 2026.
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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