Indian elephant

[ in-dee-uhn el-uh-fuhnt ]

noun

1. the most widely distributed Asian elephant subspecies ( Elephas maximus indicus ), inhabiting the grasslands and forests of mainland Asia, mostly throughout Southeast Asia, and classified as endangered: although its habitat is well spread out, its population has declined by more than half within the past 100 years, and poaching for tusks continues to be a serious threat.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Indian elephant¹

First recorded in 1600–10