chryselephantine

US /ˌkrɪsɛləˈfæntɪn/ UK /ˌkrɪsɛlɪˈfæntaɪn/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
made of or overlaid with gold and ivory, as ancient statues

The temple housed a colossal chryselephantine statue of the goddess.

Etymology

From Ancient Greek khrūselephántinos, from khrūsós ('gold') + eléphas, elephant- ('ivory, elephant'); describing statues overlaid with gold and ivory.

khrūsós Ancient Greek eléphas Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

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# chryselephantine

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˌkrɪsɛləˈfæntɪn/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌkrɪsɛlɪˈfæntaɪn/

## Meanings
1. made of or overlaid with gold and ivory, as ancient statues

## Examples
- The temple housed a colossal chryselephantine statue of the goddess.

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: khrūsós
- Root: eléphas

## Etymology
From Ancient Greek khrūselephántinos, from khrūsós ('gold') + eléphas, elephant- ('ivory, elephant'); describing statues overlaid with gold and ivory.

## AI Etymology
Chryselephantine comes from Ancient Greek khrūselephántinos, from khrūsós ('gold') + eléphas, elephant- ('ivory, elephant'); describing statues overlaid with gold and ivory. The historical trail runs through khrūsós in Ancient Greek and eléphas in Ancient Greek. Morphologically, chryselephantine is transparent: it draws on Ancient Greek khrūselephántinos, from khrūsós ('gold') + eléphas, elephant- ('ivory, elephant'). Used as an adjective, chryselephantine now means "made of or overlaid with gold and ivory, as ancient statues", so the present definition can be read against the older forms and meanings. The result is a borrowed or transmitted form whose modern spelling carries a compact record of its route into English.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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chryselephantine

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