African elephant

[ af-ri-kuhn el-uh-fuhnt ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

an elephant of the genus Loxodonta, with two extant species, the larger African bush elephant and the African forest elephant, both found in sub-Saharan Africa and previously considered subspecies rather than genetically distinct: Compared to an Asian elephant, an African elephant is larger and has enormous ears, a rounder head, a trunk ending in two fingers rather than one, and conspicuous tusks occurring in both sexes.

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of African elephant¹

First recorded in 1600–20

Discover More

Compare Meanings

How does African elephant compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

African elephant vs. Asian elephant

Discover More

Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

African elephants typically live to be 60 to 70 years old in the wild, thanks in part to the survival advantages they obtain through their protective family social structures.

From

While she said the five elderly African elephants were "majestic," the court ruled the claim could not be brought "because an elephant is not a person".

From

Charley, an aging African elephant, had outlived other elephants at a South Africa zoo.

From

African elephants face threats from poachers, with thousands of them illegally killed each year for their tusks.

From

There is hope that once Osh, a male, arrives at the sanctuary, the 30-year-old pachyderm will reunite with Donna, the zoo’s last remaining female African elephant that was relocated there last year.

From

African dominoes African forest elephant

Browse