elephant etymology

Etymology

The word "elephant" has origins in several languages:

• Greek: ἐλέφας (elephas)
• Latin: elephas
• Old French: olifant
• Middle English: elephant

Meaning

The word "elephant" means a large, herbivorous land mammal belonging to the family Elephantidae.

Origin

The ultimate origin of the word "elephant" is uncertain, but several theories exist:

• Phoenician: Some scholars suggest that the word "elephant" derives from the Phoenician word "elep," meaning "ivory."
• Egyptian: Others propose that it comes from the ancient Egyptian word "abu," meaning "ivory."
• Syrian: It could also be derived from the Syrian word "alphu," meaning "ox."
• Sanskritization: Another theory suggests that the word "elephant" is a Sanskritization of the Dravidian word "ilai," meaning "large animal."

The Greek word ἐλέφας (elephas) was likely borrowed from an Afro-Asiatic language, possibly Phoenician or Egyptian. It entered Latin as elephas, and eventually spread to other European languages.

elephant relate terms

• chryselephantine

  Etymology The word chryselephantine is derived from the Greek words chrysos χρυσ

• chryso

  Etymology The word chryso originates from the Greek word chrysos meaning gold M

• elephant

  Etymology The word elephant has origins in several languages Greek ἐλέφας e

• elephantiasis

  Etymology elephantiasis n from New Latin from Greek elephantiasis elephantiasis

• elephant

  Etymology The word elephant has origins in several languages Greek ἐλέφας e

• anaconda

• ivory

  Etymology From Middle English ivorie from Old French ivoire from Latin eburneus from

• jumbo

  Etymology Jumbo Originated from the name of an African elephant imported to the United

• mastodon

  Etymology Mastodon is derived from the Greek words mastos μαστός meaning

• cosmetologist

  Etymology The term cosmetologist is derived from two Greek words kosmos meaning o

• giraffe

  Etymology The word giraffe originates from the French word girafe It is believed tha

• mammoth

  Etymology The word mammoth is derived from the Russian word мамонт mamont w

• pachyderm

  Etymology The word pachyderm is derived from the Greek words pakhus thick and derm

• trunk

  Etymology The word trunk has multiple etymological origins From Old English trunc

• emblem

  Etymology The word emblem is derived from the Greek word emblema meaning something