elephant bird

American  

noun

1. any of several huge, extinct, flightless birds of the genus Aepyornis, of Madagascar, reaching a height of about 9 feet (2.7 meters).

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elephant bird British  

noun

1. another name for aepyornis

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Etymology

Origin of elephant bird

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

The elephant bird was the heaviest bird to ever walk the earth.

From Scientific American

Two thousand years ago, lemurs the size of humans and giant “elephant birds” roamed Madagascar.

From Science Magazine

Madagascar was once home to towering elephant birds, giant tortoises, and even giant lemurs.

From Science Magazine

These included the elephant bird, a flightless creature ten feet tall and weighing almost half a ton—the largest bird in the world—and the giant lemurs, the globe’s largest primates.

From Literature

The only larger egg ever found came from the elephant bird, which went extinct in the 17th century.

From New York Times