— elephantoid , adj.
/el"euh feuhnt/ , n. , pl. elephants , ( esp. collectively ) elephant for 1.
1. either of two large, five-toed pachyderms of the family Elephantidae, characterized by a long, prehensile trunk formed of the nose and upper lip, including Loxodonta africana (African elephant) , with enormous flapping ears, two fingerlike projections at the end of the trunk, and ivory tusks, and Elephas maximus (Indian elephant) , with smaller ears, one projection at the end of the trunk, and ivory tusks almost exclusively in males: L. africana is threatened; E. maximus is endangered.
2. a representation of this animal, used in the U.S. since 1874 as the emblem of the Republican party.
3. See white elephant .
4. Chiefly Brit. a size of drawing or writing paper, 23 × 28 in. (58 × 71 cm). Cf. double elephant .
[ 1250-1300; ME ( elephantus elephant- (s. of eléphas ) elephant; r. ME olifaunt olifantus, for L elephantus (with regular L o from e before dark l ) ]