elk
noun
\ ˈelk
\
\
plural elks
Definition of elk
1 plural usually elk
a
: moose sense 1
—used for one of the Old World
b
: a large gregarious deer (Cervus elaphus) of North America, Europe, Asia, and northwestern Africa with the male having large antlers and many tines and that often form large herds
Note: The North American elk is sometimes considered to constitute a separate species (C. canadensis).
— called also red deer, wapiti
c
: any of various large Asian deer
2
: soft tanned rugged leather
3
capitalized
[ Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks ]
: a member of a major benevolent and fraternal order
Examples of elk in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The team basically uncovered a campsite, finding stone tools, the remains of a fire pit and broken up bones of medium to large animals, something like elk or deer. — Leah Asmelash, CNN, "Idaho artifacts show humans came to North America via a water route, not land," 30 Aug. 2019 Both the elk and whitetail operations are owned by Richard Lawrence Jr. of Shell Lake, according to DATCP records. — Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Smith: An elk that died on a farm in Burnett County had CWD, so a feeding and baiting ban is imminent," 28 Aug. 2019 Deer, elk and other wild animals leave their young alone to find food, and the mother won’t return until predators, including humans, are gone. — Janet Eastman, oregonlive.com, "What to do about cougars in the neighborhood, skunks under the house, bats in the attic," 19 July 2019 From its founding in 1950 until its sale in 2011, the lodge catered to hunters, who didn't want or need amenities beyond a simple place to stay in this corner of the Wallowas, which is known for trophy-size elk and bighorn sheep. — Dina Mishev, Dallas News, "This lodge in the Oregon wilderness is anything but wild," 8 July 2019 That money was used to fund grassland restoration efforts benefitting Michigan pheasants, rabbits and elk, and the eradication of the hemlock woolly adelgid, an invasive insect that has the potential to decimate trees across the state. — Michigan Wildlife Council, Detroit Free Press, "Proposed legislation boosts funding for Michigan conservation efforts," 28 June 2019 But its effects on deer, elk and other cervids - weight loss, stumbling, listlessness and certain death - have inspired a creepier colloquial name: Zombie deer disease. — al.com, "A deadly deer disease is spreading and could infect humans," 14 June 2019 More: Meet Lucky, an elk whose dramatic birth story will melt your heart Inside Bearizona Canyonlands, a 6,000-square-foot restaurant with a 25-foot waterfall, overlooks the jaguar exhibit. — Scott Craven, azcentral, "Bearizona: Top things to do at drive-thru wildlife park in Williams," 12 July 2018 Try a buffalo burger for lunch or the elk grilled with peppercorn crust for dinner. — Mike Morris, Los Angeles Times, "If yak and other unusual meats elicit a ‘yum’ from you, check out these restaurants," 27 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'elk.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for elk
elk
noun
English Language Learners Definition of elk
US
: a large kind of North American deer with big antlers
British
: a European or Asian moose
See the full definition for elk in the English Language Learners Dictionary
elk
noun
\ ˈelk
\
\
Kids Definition of elk
1
: a large deer of North America, Europe, and Asia with curved antlers having many branches
2
: the moose of Europe and Asia
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