eļbōn

Marshallese

Etymology

Borrowed from English elephant, from Middle English elefant, elefaunt, from Old French elefant, elefan, olifant, re-latinized in Middle French as elephant, from Latin elephantus, from Ancient Greek ἐλέφᾱς (eléphās) (gen. ἐλέφαντος (eléphantos)). Believed to be derived from an Afroasiatic form such as Proto-Berber *eḷu (“elephant”) or Egyptian ꜣbw (“elephant; ivory”).

Pronunciation

• (phonetic) IPA^(key): [ɛlˠ(ʌ)bˠʌnʲ], (enunciated) [ɛlˠ pˠʌnʲ]
• (phonemic) IPA^(key): /jɛlˠpˠɛnʲ/
• Bender phonemes: {yeļben}

Noun

eļbōn (M.O.D.: eḷbōn)

1. an elephant

References

• Marshallese–English Online Dictionary