Elephant vs. Giraffe — What's the Difference?

Elephants are a select group of proboscideans belonging to the family Elephantidae. They are the largest existing land animals.

The giraffe (Giraffa) is an African artiodactyl mammal, the tallest living terrestrial animal and the largest ruminant. It is traditionally considered to be one species, Giraffa camelopardalis, with nine subspecies.

Any of several very large herbivorous mammals of the family Elephantidae native to Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia, having thick, almost hairless skin, a long, flexible, prehensile trunk, upper incisors forming long curved tusks of ivory, and, in the African species, large fan-shaped ears.

A large African mammal with a very long neck and forelegs, having a coat patterned with brown patches separated by lighter lines. It is the tallest living animal.

Any of various extinct animals of the family Elephantidae.

An African ruminant mammal (Giraffa camelopardalis) having a very long neck and legs, a tan coat with orange-brown to black blotches, and short horns. It is the tallest land animal, often reaching a height of 5 meters (16 feet).

A mammal of the order Proboscidea, having a trunk, and two large ivory tusks jutting from the upper jaw.

A ruminant, of the genus Giraffa, of the African savannah with long legs and highly elongated neck, which make it the tallest living animal; yellow fur patterned with dark spots, often in the form of a network; and two or more short, skin-covered horns, so-called; strictly speaking the horn-like projections are ossicones.

(in particular) Any member of the subfamily Elephantinae not also of the genera Mammuthus and Primelephas.

A giraffe unicycle.

(figuratively) Anything huge and ponderous.

(Cockney rhyming slang) A laugh.

Synonym of elephant paper

A very tall individual.

Used when counting to add length, so that each count takes about one second

An African ruminant (Giraffa camelopardalis formerly Camelopardalis giraffa) related to the deers and antelopes, but placed in a family (Giraffidae) by itself; the camelopard. It is the tallest of quadriped animals, being sometimes twenty feet from the hoofs to the top of the head. Its neck is very long, and its fore legs are much longer than its hind legs. There are three types, having different patterns of spots on the pelt and different territories: the Reticulated Giraffe, the Masai Giraffe, and the Uganda Giraffe. Intermediate crosses are also observed.

Ivory.

Tallest living quadruped; having a spotted coat and small horns and very long neck and legs; of savannahs of tropical Africa

(xiangqi) A xiangqi piece, that is moved two points diagonally, may not jump over intervening pieces and may not cross the river.

A mammal of the order Proboscidia and family Elephantidae, of which two living species, Elephas maximus (formerly Elephas Indicus) and Loxodonta Africana (formerly E. Africanus), and several fossil species, are known. They have five toes, a long proboscis or trunk, and two large ivory tusks proceeding from the extremity of the upper jaw, and curving upwards. The molar teeth are large and have transverse folds. Elephants are the largest land animals now existing. The elephant is classed as a pachyderm.

Ivory; the tusk of the elephant.

Five-toed pachyderm

The symbol of the Republican Party; introduced in cartoons by Thomas Nast in 1874