Elk

Pronunciation

• IPA: /É›lk/

Origin

From Middle English *elk, from Old English eolc, eolh ("elk"), from Proto-Germanic *elhaz, *algiz ("elk") (compare Low German Elk, German Elch), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁élḱis, *h₁ólḱis (compare Polish łoś, Russian лось, Sanskrit ऋष्य (ṛśya, "antelope"), variant of *h₁elh₁én (compare German Elen, Tocharian A/B yäl/ylem ‘gazelle’, Lithuanian élnis ‘stag’, Armenian եղնիկ ‘doe, hind’).

Full definition of elk

Noun

1. (British) The largest member of the deer family (Alces alces); a moose.
2. (North America) The common wapiti (Cervus canadensis); the second largest member of the deer family, smaller only than a moose. Elk never have flat antlers; moose do.

Synonyms

• (Cervus candensis) wapiti
• (Alces alces) moose

Anagrams

• lek, Lek