| elephant | 1. <zoology> A mammal of the order Proboscidia, of which two living species, Elephas Indicus and E. Africanus, and several fossil species, are known. They have a proboscis or trunk, and two large ivory tusks proceeding from the extremity of the upper jaw, and curving upwards. The molar teeth are large and have transverse folds. Elephants are the largest land animals now existing. 2. Ivory; the tusk of the elephant. <botany> Elephant apple, the tooth shell. See Dentalium. Origin: OE. Elefaunt, olifant, OF. Olifant, F. Elephant, L. Elephantus, elephas, -antis, fr. Gr,; of unknown origin; perh. Fr. Skr. Ibha, with the Semitic article al, el, prefixed, or fr. Semitic Aleph hindi Indian bull; or cf. Goth. Ulbandus camel, AS. Olfend. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| elephant leg | <medicine> A disease of the skin, in which it become enormously thickened, and is rough, hard, and fissured, like an elephant's hide. Origin: L, fr. Gr, from, an elephant. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| elephant man's disease | <syndrome> A disturbance of cell growth including benign tumours under the skin, overgrowth of the body, often more on one side than the other (hemihypertrophy), and overgrowth of fingers (macrodactyly). The syndrome is named after the greek god proteus the polymorphous who could change his appearance. The elephant man (john merrick) of 19th century england who was thought to have had neurofibromatosis probably had proteus syndrome. (12 Dec 1998) |
| elephantiac | <medicine> Affected with elephantiasis; characteristic of elephantiasis. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| elephantiasis | <medicine> A disease of the skin, in which it become enormously thickened, and is rough, hard, and fissured, like an elephant's hide. Origin: L, fr. Gr, from, an elephant. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| elephantiasis neuromatosa | Enlargement of a limb due to diffuse neurofibromatosis of the skin and subcutaneous tissue. (05 Mar 2000) |
| elephantiasis scroti | Brawny swelling of the scrotum as a result of chronic lymphatic obstruction. Synonym: chyloderma, lymph scrotum, parasitic chylocele. (05 Mar 2000) |
| elephantiasis telangiectodes | Hypertrophy of the skin and subcutaneous tissues accompanied by and dependent upon dilation of the blood vessels. (05 Mar 2000) |
| elephantiasis vulvae | Swelling of the vulval tissues due to lymphatic obstruction; in some cases it may be caused by filariasis, with induration or ulceration of the skin. Synonym: elephantiasis vulvae. (05 Mar 2000) |
| elephantiasis, filarial | Parasitic infestation of the human lymphatic system by wuchereria bancrofti or brugia malayi. It is also called lymphatic filariasis. (12 Dec 1998) |
| elephantine | Pertaining to the elephant, or resembling an elephant (commonly, in size); hence, huge; immense; heavy; as, of elephantine proportions; an elephantine step or tread. <geology> Elephantine epoch, the epoch distinguished by the existence of large pachyderms. <zoology> Elephantine tortoise, a huge land tortoise; especially, Testudo elephantina, from islands in the Indian Ocean; and T. Elephantopus, from the Galapagos Islands. Origin: L. Elephantinus of ivory, Gr., cf. F. Elephantin. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| elephantoid fever | Lymphangitis and an elevation of temperature marking the beginning of endemic elephantiasis (filariasis). (05 Mar 2000) |
| elephantoidal | <zoology> Resembling an elephant in form or appearance. Origin: Elephant. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| water elephant | <zoology> The hippopotamus. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| sea elephant | <zoology> A very large seal (Macrorhinus proboscideus) of the Antarctic seas, much hunted for its oil. It sometimes attains a length of thirty feet, and is remarkable for the prolongation of the nose of the adult male into an erectile elastic proboscis, about a foot in length. Another species of smaller size (M. Angustirostris) occurs on the coast of Lower California, but is now nearly extinct. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |