The word 'elephant' originally came from French as 'elefant'

'Elephant' is a word borrowed from French 'elefant'. The word entered the English language some time around the 14th century.

elephant [noun] [14th century]

• any of a family (Elephantidae, the elephant family) of thickset usually extremely large nearly hairless herbivorous mam...
• a tall large-eared mammal (Loxodonta africana) of tropical Africa
• a relatively small-eared mammal (Elephas maximus) of forests of southeastern Asia
• an animal or fossil related to the

Meaning: large herbivorous mammal with trunk.

Etymology: From French elephant via Latin elephantus from Greek elephas.

Topics: Animals:Mammals.

Origin: From Greek to Latin to French to English.

note: Meaning: Large herbivorous mammal with trunk. Etymology: From French elephant via Latin elephantus from Greek elephas. Path: Greek > Latin > French > English.

See 'elephant' on the Loan Words Map

See more loan words from French.

See more loan words from 1300s.