Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Elephant \El"e*phant\, n. [OE. elefaunt, olifant, OF. olifant,
F. ['e]l['e]phant, L. elephantus, elephas, -antis, fr. Gr. ?,
?; of unknown origin; perh. fr. Skr. ibha, with the Semitic
article al, el, prefixed, or fr. Semitic Aleph hindi Indian
bull; or cf. Goth. ulbandus camel, AS. olfend.]
1. (Zo["o]l.) A mammal of the order Proboscidia, of which two
living species, {Elephas Indicus} and {E. Africanus}, and
several fossil species, are known. They have a proboscis
or trunk, and two large ivory tusks proceeding from the
extremity of the upper jaw, and curving upwards. The molar
teeth are large and have transverse folds. Elephants are
the largest land animals now existing.
2. Ivory; the tusk of the elephant. [Obs.] --Dryden.