elephant
4 synonyms for elephant, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A very large mammal with a long trunk, big ears, and tusks, native to Africa and Asia.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use elephant
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
elephant in the room
herd of elephants
elephant tusk
Etymology
From Old French elefant, ultimately from Ancient Greek elephas ("elephant, ivory"), possibly borrowed from an ancient North African language.
Full origin of elephant →Frequently asked questions
What does “elephant” mean?
The word “elephant” means a very large mammal with a long trunk, big ears, and tusks, native to Africa and Asia. In plain terms, the largest living land animal, known for its trunk and tusks — or, figuratively, an obvious problem everyone is avoiding.
How do you pronounce “elephant”?
“Elephant” is pronounced EH-lih-fuhnt (/ˈɛləfənt/ in IPA).
How do you use “elephant” in a sentence?
Here is “elephant” used in a sentence: “The elephant used its trunk to spray water over its back.”
What is another word for “elephant”?
Words with a similar meaning to “elephant” include oliphaunt.
What part of speech is “elephant”?
“Elephant” is a noun.
Where does the word “elephant” come from?
The word “elephant” comes from Ancient Greek. From Old French elefant, ultimately from Ancient Greek elephas ("elephant, ivory"), possibly borrowed from an ancient North African language.
Is “elephant” a common word?
“Elephant” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “elephant” have?
“Elephant” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a very large mammal with a long trunk, big ears, and tusks, native to Africa and Asia.
What is the difference between African and Asian elephants?
African elephants are generally larger and have much bigger ears, while Asian elephants are smaller with smaller, rounded ears. Tusks also differ: both male and female African elephants typically grow tusks, whereas among Asian elephants usually only some males have long tusks.
What is a group of elephants called?
A group of elephants is called a herd. A baby elephant is a calf, an adult female is a cow, and an adult male is a bull.
