- Alces alces
- elk elk ([e^]lk), n. [Icel. elgr; akin to Sw. elg, AS. eolh,
OHG. elaho, MHG. elch, cf. L. alces; perh. akin to E. eland.]
(Zo["o]l.)
A large deer, of several species. The European elk {Alces
alces} (formerly {Alces machlis} or {Cervus alces}) is
closely allied to the American moose. The American elk, or
wapiti ({Cervus Canadensis}) the largest member of the deer
family, has large, spreading antlers and is closely related
to the European stag. See {Moose}, and {Wapiti}.
[1913 Webster +PJC]
{Irish elk} (Paleon.), a large, extinct, Quaternary deer ({Cervus giganteus}) with widely spreading antlers. Its remains have been found beneath the peat of swamps in Ireland and England. See Illustration in Appendix; also Illustration of {Antler}.
{Cape elk} (Zo["o]l.), the eland.
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
