noun
trunk
An elephant's long flexible nose.
The elephant uses its trunk to lift food to its mouth.
Etymology
The elephant's elongated nose was compared with a projecting stem or tube. The existing trunk word supplied the anatomical name.
More examples
- The elephant sprays water over its back with its trunk.
- A young elephant curls its trunk around a branch.
- The elephants raise their trunks to sniff the air.
Forms
trunk · trunks