# elephant

/ˈɛɫəfənt/ (US) · /ˈɛlɪfənt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/elephant
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. the animal

noun · CEFR A1

a very large grey animal with a long nose called a trunk and two long white teeth called tusks.

For teachers: a massive herbivorous mammal of the family Elephantidae, native to Africa and Asia, characterised by a long prehensile trunk and ivory tusks.

- We saw a family of elephants drinking water at the river during our safari.
- The conservation project focuses on protecting the migration corridors used by African elephants to reach seasonal water sources.

### 2. an ignored problem

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a big problem or situation that everyone knows about but no one wants to discuss.

For teachers: an obvious truth or significant issue that is intentionally ignored or unaddressed by a group.

- The company's debt was the elephant in the room that no one mentioned at the party.
- During the board meeting, the CEO's recent scandals remained the elephant in the room, as everyone focused strictly on quarterly earnings.

Usage: almost always used in the idiom 'the elephant in the room'

Teaching tip: This is a very common idiomatic expression in business and social contexts; learners should use the full phrase 'the elephant in the room'.

### 3. paper size

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a specific large size of paper used for printing or drawing.

For teachers: a traditional size of drawing or writing paper, typically measuring 23 by 28 inches.

- The artist requested a sheet of elephant paper for the large landscape sketch.
- The archive contains several maps printed on elephant folio, preserved to maintain the fine detail of the original nineteenth-century engravings.

Teaching tip: This is a highly specialised term in the printing and paper industry; most modern speakers will not be familiar with it.

### 4. counting seconds

noun · CEFR B1 · British English · Informal

a word you say between numbers when counting to make sure each count lasts one second.

For teachers: a filler word used in rhythmic counting to approximate the passage of one second per integer.

- The children counted 'one elephant, two elephants, three elephants' while playing hide and seek.
- To ensure the chemical reacted for exactly ten seconds, the student used the 'one elephant' method of counting.

Teaching tip: Commonly used by children or when timing simple activities without a watch.

## Examples

- The elephant uses its trunk to pick up grass and drink water.
- During the safari, we watched a mother elephant leading her young calf toward the river at sunset.
- Conservation efforts in the region focus on mitigating human-wildlife conflict as expanding agricultural zones increasingly overlap with traditional elephant migratory corridors.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.