Meaning & use
elk
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Meanings
nouncountableAmerican
A very large North American deer with wide branching antlers on the males, also called a wapiti.
Grammar: The plural is usually elk, though elks also occurs: a herd of elk.
Patterns
- a herd of elk
- hunt elk
We watched a herd of elk grazing near the river.
The bull elk bugled loudly at dawn.
Elk migrate down from the mountains in winter.
nouncountableBritish
In Europe, a large deer with flat, spreading antlers that lives in northern forests, known in North America as a moose.
Grammar: A British use; in American English this animal is a moose.
Elk roam the forests of Sweden and Norway.
The road sign warned drivers to watch for elk.
Word forms
| plural | elk |
|---|---|
| plural (also) | elks |
Common combinations
- herd of elk
- A herd of elk crossed the meadow.
- bull elk
- A bull elk can weigh over 700 pounds.
- elk antlers
- The lodge was decorated with elk antlers.
- hunt elk
- Hunters need a permit to hunt elk here.
Synonyms and how they differ
- wapiti
- Wapiti is the older Shawnee-derived name for the North American elk and is used by scientists.
- moose
- The moose is the North American name for the animal Europeans call elk, and it is larger than the American elk.
- deer
- Deer is the general term for the whole group, while elk names one large species.
Word family
- elks noun
- alternative plural form
- antler noun
- the bony branching horn of a deer
- cervid noun
- any member of the deer family
Commonly confused: elk or moose?
elk vs moose
In North America a moose is a bigger, darker animal with a drooping nose and flat antlers, and it is not the same as an elk.
Practice
Which is the usual plural of elk?
Choose one answer.
Elk usually stays the same in the plural, like deer and sheep. Elks is also seen, but the other options are not real forms.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “elk”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.