elephant \el"ephant\ e^l"-efant, n. oe. elefaunt,
   olifant, of. olifant, f. 'el'ephant, l. elephantus,
   elephas, -antis, fr. gr. 'ele`fas, 'ele`fantos; of unknown
   origin; perh. fr. skr. ibha, with the semitic article al, el,
   prefixed, or fr. semitic aleph hindi indian bull; or cf.
   goth. ulbandus camel, as. olfend.
   1. zo"ol. a mammal of the order proboscidia and family
      elephantidae, of which two living species, elephas
      maximus formerly elephas indicus and loxodonta
      africana formerly e. africanus, and several fossil
      species, are known. they have five toes, a long proboscis
      or trunk, and two large ivory tusks proceeding from the
      extremity of the upper jaw, and curving upwards. the molar
      teeth are large and have transverse folds. elephants are
      the largest land animals now existing. the elephant is
      classed as a pachyderm.
      1913 webster

   2. ivory; the tusk of the elephant. obs. --dryden.
      1913 webster

   elephant apple bot., an east indian fruit with a rough,
      hard rind, and edible pulp, borne by feronia elephantum,
      a large tree related to the orange.

   elephant bed geol., at brighton, england, abounding in
      fossil remains of elephants. --mantell.

   elephant beetle zo"ol., any very large beetle of the
      genus goliathus esp. g. giganteus, of the family
      scarabaeidae. they inhabit west africa.

   elephant fish zo"ol., a chimaeroid fish
      callorhynchus antarcticus, with a proboscis-like
      projection of the snout.

   elephant paper, paper of large size, 23 times 28 inches.
      

   double elephant paper, paper measuring 263/4 times 40
      inches. see note under paper.

   elephant seal zo"ol., an african jumping shrew
      macroscelides typicus, having a long nose like a
      proboscis.

   elephant's ear bot., a name given to certain species of
      the genus begonia, which have immense one-sided leaves.

   elephant's foot bot.
      a a south african plant testudinaria elephantipes,
          which has a massive rootstock covered with a kind of
          bark cracked with deep fissures; -- called also
          tortoise plant. the interior part is barely edible,
          whence the plant is also called hottentot's bread.
      b a genus elephantopus of coarse, composite weeds.
          

   elephant's tusk zo"ol., the tooth shell. see
      dentalium.
      1913 webster
see also:
proboscidia elephantidae elephas maximus elephas indicus loxodonta africana e. africanus 
elephant apple feronia elephantum elephant bed elephant beetle goliathus 
g. giganteus scarabaeidae elephant fish callorhynchus antarcticus elephant paper 
double elephant paper paper elephant seal macroscelides typicus elephant's ear 
elephant's foot testudinaria elephantipes tortoise plant hottentot's bread elephantopus 
elephant's tusk dentalium