elephant

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A very large grey animal with a long trunk and big ears, found in Africa and Asia.

   We watched a herd of elephants drinking at the river.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Elephant entered English in the 14th century through Latin from Greek elephas, which meant both “ivory” and “elephant.” The Greek word may itself have been borrowed from an ancient Middle Eastern language. Earlier English names for the animal included oliphant and elp.

From Middle English elefant, elefaunt, from Old French elefant, elefan, olifant, re-latinized in Middle French as elephant, from Latin elephantus, from Ancient Greek ἐλέφᾱς (eléphās) (gen. ἐλέφαντος (eléphantos)). Believed to be derived from an Afroasiatic form such as Proto-Berber *eḷu (“elephant”) (compare Tamahaq êlu, Tamasheq alu) or Egyptian ꜣbw (“elephant; ivory”). More at ivory. Replaced Middle English olifant (from the aforementioned Old French form, from Vulgar Latin *olifantus), which replaced Old English elpend (“elephant”).

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External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary