Are you writing a book with elephants in it? If you’re wondering how to describe elephants in a story, we’ve included 10 words that can help do this below.
1. Intelligent
Definition
An animal or person that understands, thinks, and learns well.
Examples
“The intelligent elephants worked together to unlock the circus cage, and before sunrise, they were free again.”
“Nelly the elephant couldn’t speak, but her intelligence was obvious. She could solve puzzles, play games, and communicate with her body language.”
How it Adds Description
Elephants are known to be clever animals, and you can show their intellectual prowess via the word “intelligent.” This adjective shows that your fictional elephant is especially clever, and this may allow it to communicate with the human characters. The “intelligent” elephant may even help your human characters when they’re in a fix, as it has the mental ability to problem solve.
2. Gentle
Definition
Someone that’s mild, kind, and calm.
Examples
“Amber was a gentle elephant, and all the zookeepers loved her. She never gave them any trouble at all!”
“Every night, a gentle elephant visited Jack in his dreams. He didn’t know what it meant, but he enjoyed it when the elephant waved its trunk today.”
How it Adds Description
Alongside being known as intellectual, elephants are well known for their kind and “gentle” attitudes. Being “gentle” will make your elephant a pleasant companion and caring friend to any human character. It could also make them a very popular character with humans and other animals alike.
3. Protective
Definition
Someone who looks after others and keeps them safe.
Examples
“The elephants were protective of their young. Saying hello to their babies was almost impossible.”
“Mark quickly realized the mother elephant was not only reserved but fiercely protective of her family.”
How it Adds Description
Sometimes, elephants are “protective” of their families and friends. They’ll do anything to keep their loved ones safe and away from harm. This means they’re always on the lookout for threats and, often, will act defensively to characters they don’t know. Likely, a “protective” elephant will act cold towards new characters, and it might take a while for them to open up.
4. Mighty
Definition
Someone very powerful and large.
Examples
“The village people worshiped the mighty elephant, and they had plastered statues of it on every street.”
“London Zoo held an annual birthday party for the mighty elephant. People flocked from all over the world to catch a glimpse of the large creature.”
How it Adds Description
“Mighty” reinforces how large and powerful your fictional elephant is. These animals are known for their size and strength, and you can use “mighty” to emphasize this or to show one particular elephant is stronger than the others. Other characters will probably be impressed by the size, and some may even be scared of a “mighty” elephant due to its physical power.
5. Colossal
Definition
Something that’s very large in size.
Examples
“The colossal elephant towered over the other animals at the watering hole.”
“The young girl nervously looked up at the colossal elephant. He was the tallest animal she’d ever seen.”
How it Adds Description
You can also emphasize your elephant’s size via “colossal.” Unlike “mighty,” “colossal” focuses more on height rather than power. You can show your elephant is taller than everyone else with this word, and this can give your reader a clear image of its size. Additionally, some characters might find a “colossal” elephant fearsome, as they feel small and weak when compared to it.
6. Imposing
Definition
Something that has an impressive manner or appearance.
Examples
“The imposing elephants always led the parade, and every year attendees were shocked by their appearance.”
“Jacob didn’t understand why everyone thought the elephants were cute. To him, they were too imposing.”
How it Adds Description
If you want to show your elephants have an impressive appearance or presence, you can use “imposing” to show their effect on other characters. “Imposing” is especially effective when used to describe your character’s first impression of the elephants, as it shows the reader they’re amazed or moved by the animal’s size or look.
7. Clumsy
Definition
Someone who handles thinking in an awkward or careless way.
Examples
“The ringleader signaled for the elephants to be released, but the clumsy one tripped over as it entered the circus ring.”
“The zookeepers always thought it was cute when the elephants were tired and clumsy.”
How it Adds Description
You can describe your fictional elephant as “clumsy” if it occasionally knocks things over or breaks things. Some characters might find this cute or sweet. However, irritable characters might get frustrated with “clumsy” behavior, especially if they have to clean up after the elephants.
8. Jaw-Dropping
Definition
Someone or something that’s shocking, surprising, or impressive.
Examples
“The crowd fell silent as the jaw-dropping elephants waltzed into the room.”
“Normal elephants are impressive, but the pink elephants are simply jaw-dropping.”
How it Adds Description
If you want to really emphasize how shocking or surprising your fictional elephants are, use “jaw-dropping.” This word signals that the other characters are left speechless due to the elephant’s appearance or behavior. Perfect if you’re writing about characters that have never even seen an elephant before.
9. Cheerful
Definition
Someone who is happy in personality and behavior.
Examples
“Maya watched as the cheerful elephant played with the children. They loved swinging from its trunk.”
“The old elephant couldn’t run as fast as he used to, but it didn’t stop him from being cheerful every day.”
How it Adds Description
“Cheerful” shows that the elephant is generally happy and excited about life. This might make the elephant a popular character in your story, as other characters will want to spend time with them. It may also mean the elephant is friendly and up for playing games with others.
10. Affectionate
Definition
Someone who shows their fondness or love for other people.
Examples
“Elmo, the elephant, brushed his ears against his owner’s arm. He was very affectionate around people he knew.”
“Small children often find elephants scary, but these gentle giants are more affectionate than you realize!”
How it Adds Description
Finally, you can use “affectionate” to show how friendly and loving your fictional elephant is. Your elephant might show love physically through waving, cuddling, or simply brushing on people. This might scare some characters at first because elephants are very large. However, they’re also soft and won’t hurt anyone unless very stressed.