Elephant Definition Elephant Definition 1

Elephant (noun) — the second largest creature on Earth, from ears to toes, which we can find in regions of Asia and Africa. Worldwide, there are three types of them, their names are dedicated to the location: African Savanna, African forest, and Asian elephant. 

Part of speech:
Noun (countable)
Phonetic transcription (IPA):
/ˈel.ɪ.fənt/
CEFR level:
A1
Word frequency:

How to Pronounce “Elephant”?

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Tips for “elephant” pronunciation

It may seem hard to say out loud, but you can break it into three parts: el with a short e and soft l, then goes the short i, and fənt like in the word “phone.”

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Examples: How to Use “Elephant” in a Sentence?

Learning a new word is hard without understanding how to place it in real-world sentences. Here, you will see how it works:

Elephants have big ears.
Did you see the trunk that this elephant has?
These elephants have a baby elephant!
I think that elephants are the strongest animals.
There are no elephants in the zoo.

What Are Synonyms for the Word “Elephant”?

The “elephant” word describes a particular animal, but you can still use a few alternative and related words to make your saying more interesting.

Related nouns: giant mammoth

Synonyms (contextual): none, it’s a specific noun

Common collocations: colossal elephant young elephant fight an elephant

“Elephant” Word Formation and Description in Context

Learning “elephant” in English is more than memorizing the word, but also how to use it with other parts of speech. Here, you will study the common example:

With adjectives: grey elephant playful elephant hungry elephant

With verbs: elephant walks elephant drinks elephant grooms

With nouns (noun + noun): baby elephant elephants’ herd

Idioms and Phrases with “Elephant”

Idioms are special sayings that have double meaning and add more expressions to your thoughts that you say out loud or write down. Here are some of them with the word “elephant.”

  • An elephant never forgets — it’s a fact that these animals’ memories are wild, so with this phrase, you mean that you or someone will remember an action.

    My husband always remembers what I promised — an elephant never forgets.
  • Elephant in the room — tells that some issue is too obvious, but no one wants to speak about it.

    My sister’s behavior is the elephant in the room. We don’t talk about it.
Elephant Idioma Elephant Idioma 1
  • As big as an elephant — people use it to describe something massive, just like the animal itself.

    He goes to the gym four times a week. He is as big as an elephant!

Quick Elephant Meaning Quiz

Are you ready to check your understanding of the elephant’s definition? We have three engaging activities.

Type 1: True/false statements:
Choose the correct answer:
1
Elephants are giant animals.
2
All the elephants belong in the wild.
3
An elephant can fly.
Type 2: Right word order:
Put the words in the right order:
1
I
an
wish
elephant
see
to
2
trunks
have
All
elephants
3
are
Elephants
cute
Type 3: Choose the correct option
Select the option that is the closest in meaning:
1
They don’t want to discuss this situation. How to describe it with an idiom?
2
My son wants to see an animal with a trunk. Which animal has a trunk?
3
Look! This elephant is a baby! What does it mean?

Enjoy personalized learning!

“Elephant” Word in Other Languages

Do you also want to learn how to say “elephant” in three world popular languages to increase your knowledge? Here you go:

Language Word for “Elephant”
Flag Spanish Spanish   Elefante
Flag French French   Éléphant
Flag German German   Elefant

Did You Know It? Fun Facts About “Elephant”

You have learned the meaning of “elephant” and may be impressed by this animal: giant and powerful. After reading the facts we found, you will be even more.

  • Lin Wang was the oldest elephant who ever lived in captivity.

    The 86-year-old elephant lived in the Taipei Zoo located in Taiwan. It was recorded by the Guinness World Records in 2003, when the animal passed away.
  • On land, elephants are the biggest creatures.

    Bush elephants (which you may know under the name African Savanna) can weigh almost 6k kilograms according to the information on WWF.
  • Elephants’ eating habits are wild — they always eat.

    On the same site linked above, we found information that an elephant can eat ~150 kg of food daily.

Famous Quotes About “Elephant”

This word is used by authors a lot. They define “elephant” to describe their loyalty, use their image to describe life situations, and more.

“Elephants love reunions. They recognize one another after years and years of separation and greet each other with wild, boisterous joy.”

— Jennifer Richard Jacobson

Explanation: Elephants have emotions and express them when they meet others after being apart especially their families and friends.

“Elephants don’t know anything about the world of ants; the peaks of mountains are obvious of what is happening on the plains!”

Mehmet Murat ildan

Explanation: Elephants have force and live in another world than ants — they are too different. In the same way, people can also ignore what happens beyond their view, due to different reasons.

“I have a memory of an elephant. I remember every elephant I’ve ever met.”

— Herb Caen

Explanation: You already know this idiom — about having a memory like an elephant — and here, it is used ironically.