el·e·phant
 elephant
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- pronunciation:
- e
l
fnt
- features:
- Word History, Word Explorer
| part of speech: |
noun |
| definition: |
an enormous mammal with a very long nose called a trunk. Elephants have curved tusks, huge, floppy ears, and four long, thick legs. Elephants use their trunks to pick up food, drink water, or lift things. They use their tusks to dig roots. Elephants travel in herds, eating tons of plants every day. African elephants are the largest mammals that live on land. Indian elephants are smaller and can be trained to work with people.
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| related words: |
mammoth |
| derivation: |
elephantoid (adj.) |
Elephant comes from an ancient Greek word that mean "ivory beast."