pachyderm

Definition

A member of the obsolete taxonomic order Pachydermata, grouping of thick-skinned, hoofed animals such as the rhinoceros, hippopotamus, elephant and tapir.

Etymology

Borrowed from French pachyderme, equivalent to pachy- (“thick”) + -derm (“skin”).

Example Sentences

• "And so it happened that before the elephant realized that his new enemy had leaped from his path Tarzan had driven his iron-shod spear from behind the massive shoulder straight into the fierce heart, and the colossal pachyderm had toppled to his death at the feet of the ape-man."
• "Among five score pachyderm / Each canopied and passengered / Sit the duke and the duchess' luscious young girls"
• "In September 2008[…] Portfolio rented an elephant to illustrate an article about JPMorgan Chase’s credit derivatives desk, because the editors had decided on the headline “The $58 Trillion Elephant in the Room.” Condé spent about $30,000 photographing the pachyderm, instead of using a stock image."