Irish elk

noun

1. an extinct deerlike mammal of the genus Megaceros ( Megaloceros ), of the Pleistocene Epoch, having in the male extremely large, broad antlers.

Irish elk

noun

1. an extinct Eurasian giant deer of the Pleistocene genus Megaloceros, which had antlers up to 4 metres across

Word History and Origins

Origin of Irish elk¹

First recorded in 1815–25

Example Sentences

The antlers — which resemble gorgeous splashes of milk — belonged to an Irish elk whose excess of testosterone contributed to the size of its headgear and eventual extinction.

From New York Times

On Friday, the antlers on the Irish elk models were damaged, although she said this could potentially have been because of high winds.

From BBC

In October, an international group of researchers used the same computer modeling techniques to suggest that the largest antlers ever to exist—the 12-feet-across by 5-feet-high rack of the prehistoric Irish elk—were used for male sparring, too.

From Scientific American

On one wall, a giant pair of Irish elk antlers, fashioned from cast aluminum, recalls an extinct species of mega fauna yet also looks like a hunting trophy one might find in an old-school men’s club.

From Washington Post

It is no secret that the cause of the extinction of megafauna such as the woolly mammoth, Irish elk, and the European elephant has been a longstanding debate among scientists who either typically blame human “overkill” or climate change for their demise.

From Forbes