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Definition of african elephant

african elephant

Plural:African elephants
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• noun

1

Any of two species of large, herbivorous mammals of the genus Loxodonta (the savanna elephant and the forest elephant) native to sub-Saharan Africa, characterized by their large ears, long prehensile trunk, and thick gray skin.

Example

"The African elephant is the largest living terrestrial animal on Earth and serves as a keystone species in maintaining the ecological balance of the savanna."

Photo by Charles J. Sharp / CC BY-SA 4.0
Synonyms
View all synonyms for african elephant

Word Nuance & Usage

When discussing elephants, the African elephant is frequently contrasted with the Asian elephant; the former is distinguished by its larger, Africa-shaped ears and the presence of prominent tusks in both males and females.

• Nearby Words

afraid
afresh
african daisy
african elephant
african fat-tailed gecko
african grey parrot
african helmeted turtle

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of African elephant. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/african-elephant
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