oliphaunt
Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word oliphaunt. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word oliphaunt, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say oliphaunt in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word oliphaunt you have here. The definition of the word oliphaunt will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofoliphaunt, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Middle English oliphaunt, olifaunt, from Old French olifant, from Latin elephantus; see elephant for more information.
Noun
oliphaunt (plural oliphaunts)
- (archaic and historical) elephant
- 1523, John Skelton, “A ryght delectable treatyse upon a goodly garlande or chapelet of laurell”, in Poetical Works of John Skelton, published 1853, page 365:
- The gander, the gose, and the hudge oliphaunt, / Went with the pecok ageyne the fesaunt;
- 1876, William Curry, Jun. & Co, The Dublin university magazine: Volume 88:
- His mugge so Taste and wide, I wel opine,
An oliphaunt he might have swallow'd[.]
- 1954, J. R. R. Tolkien, The Two Towers, Random House, published 1982, →ISBN, page 283:
- ‘Were there any oliphaunts?’ asked Sam, forgetting his fear in his eagerness for news of strange places.
Usage notes
- In current usage, this form is chiefly found in reference to the very large fictional elephants found in The Lord of the Rings and other works by J. R. R. Tolkien.
