mammoth
UK: ˈmæməθ | US: ˈmæməθ
n. 1. A large, extinct elephant-like mammal of the Ice Age.
adj. 2. Huge; enormous (figurative use).
The word "mammoth" entered English in the early 17th century from Russian "мамонт" (mamont), likely borrowed from a Siberian language (e.g., Mansi "māŋ-ońt" meaning "earth horn," referring to fossilized tusks). The spelling was later influenced by folk etymology linking it to "behemoth," reinforcing its association with size. The figurative sense ("enormous") emerged in the 19th century, directly tied to the animal’s colossal stature.
The woolly mammoth roamed the tundra during the last Ice Age.
Scientists are studying mammoth DNA to explore de-extinction.
The construction project required a mammoth effort to complete.
A mammoth skeleton is displayed at the natural history museum.
They faced a mammoth task of rebuilding after the disaster.