plural elk also elks
1
plural usually elk
a
: moose sense 1
—used for one of the Old World
b
: a large gregarious deer (Cervus elaphus) of North America, Europe, Asia, and northwestern Africa with the male having large antlers and many tines and that often form large herds
Note: The North American elk is sometimes considered to constitute a separate species (C. canadensis).
called also red deer, wapiti
c
: any of various large Asian deer
2
: soft tanned rugged leather
3
usually Elk plural Elks
[Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks]
: a member of a major benevolent and fraternal order
Examples of elk in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Someone shot five elk and left them to rot near Idaho’s Arrowrock Reservoir, and the Idaho Department of Fish & Game (IDFG) is asking for the public’s help solving the case.
—
Travis Hall, Field & Stream, 12 Apr. 2024
Drivers in western Colorado know to keep an eye out for deer and the occasional moose or elk that might stray onto the roadway.
—Aldo Svaldi, The Denver Post, 2 Apr. 2024
There was a bar, plenty of people eating dinner at 4:45 p.m. and an elk head mounted on the wall.
—Victoria Moorwood, The Enquirer, 8 Mar. 2024
While elk populations across the country are stable, elk hunting success rates on public land in over-the-counter units are low—approximately 10 to 15 percent.
—Jace Bauserman, Field & Stream, 22 Feb. 2024
In October 2022, thieves stole a trophy-sized elk skull from a hunters backyard in Lander, Wyoming, and last August, a man was fined a whopping $5,000 for illegally collecting shed antlers in Grand Teton National Park.
—Travis Hall, Field & Stream, 29 Feb. 2024
An elk hunter in Wyoming encountered a strangely aggressive coyote over the weekend while hunting along the Wind River.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 31 Jan. 2024
Carpenter has a history of getting on giant Roosevelt elk, and this bull was very special to say the least.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 7 Feb. 2024
An avid elk hunter with multiple Roosevelt records to his name, Carpenter, 39, works as an elk guide in the fall and a wildlife biologist in the springtime.
—Travis Hall, Field & Stream, 7 Feb. 2024
Travis Hall, Field & Stream, 12 Apr. 2024
Drivers in western Colorado know to keep an eye out for deer and the occasional moose or elk that might stray onto the roadway.
—Aldo Svaldi, The Denver Post, 2 Apr. 2024
There was a bar, plenty of people eating dinner at 4:45 p.m. and an elk head mounted on the wall.
—Victoria Moorwood, The Enquirer, 8 Mar. 2024
While elk populations across the country are stable, elk hunting success rates on public land in over-the-counter units are low—approximately 10 to 15 percent.
—Jace Bauserman, Field & Stream, 22 Feb. 2024
In October 2022, thieves stole a trophy-sized elk skull from a hunters backyard in Lander, Wyoming, and last August, a man was fined a whopping $5,000 for illegally collecting shed antlers in Grand Teton National Park.
—Travis Hall, Field & Stream, 29 Feb. 2024
An elk hunter in Wyoming encountered a strangely aggressive coyote over the weekend while hunting along the Wind River.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 31 Jan. 2024
Carpenter has a history of getting on giant Roosevelt elk, and this bull was very special to say the least.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 7 Feb. 2024
An avid elk hunter with multiple Roosevelt records to his name, Carpenter, 39, works as an elk guide in the fall and a wildlife biologist in the springtime.
—Travis Hall, Field & Stream, 7 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'elk.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near elk
Cite this Entry
“Elk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elk. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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