Elephant

/ˈɛlɪfənt/

/ˈɛɫəfənt/

Elephant

an animal that is very large, has thick gray skin, four legs, a very long nose that is called a trunk, and mostly lives in Asia and Africa

What is an "elephant"?

An elephant is a large, majestic mammal with a distinctive, elongated nose called a trunk that can be used for a variety of purposes, such as grasping objects, drinking water, and communication. Elephants are known for their incredible size and strength, with adult males weighing up to six tons and standing over 13 feet tall. They are also known for their intelligence, with the ability to recognize themselves in mirrors and exhibit behaviors that suggest empathy and self-awareness. Elephants are social animals that live in herds, with females and their young forming tight-knit family units led by a matriarch. They are herbivores and can consume up to 300 pounds of vegetation in a single day. Elephants are an important cultural symbol in many parts of the world and are also revered for their conservation status as endangered species.

1.1

the symbol of the Republican Party; introduced in cartoons by Thomas Nast in 1874

Examples

1. The elephant had big ears and a long trunk.

2. Elephants are known for their intelligence and remarkable memory.

3. The incident has remained something of an elephant in the room within our family.

4. The baby elephant clumsily followed its mother, learning to navigate the world.

Nearby words