Elephant

el′e-fant, n. the largest quadruped, having a very thick skin, a trunk, and two ivory tusks: a special size of paper.— ns. Elephan′tiac , one affected with elephantiasis; Elephantī′as is , a disease chiefly of tropical climates, consisting of an overgrowth of the skin and connective ti ue of the parts affected, with occasional attacks of inflammation resembling erysipelas.— adjs. Elephant′ine , pertaining to an elephant: like an elephant: very large or ungainly; Elephant′oid , elephant-like.— ns. El′ephant-seal , the largest of the seals, the male measuring about 20 feet in length; El′ephant's-foot , a plant of which the root-stock forms a large fleshy ma resembling an elephant's foot, used as food by the Hottentots; El′ephant-shrew , name applied to a number of long-nosed, long-legged Insect i vor a, natives of Africa, and notable for their agile jumping over loose sand.— A white elephant , a gift which occasions the recipient more trouble than it is worth—a white elephant being a common gift of the kings of Siam to a courtier they wished to ruin. [M. E. olifaunt —O. Fr. olifant —L. elephantum , elephas , -antis —Gr. elephas , acc. to some from Heb. eleph , aleph , an ox.]