elephant ear

English

Alternative forms

• elephants' ear

Etymology

From general resemblance in form.

Noun

elephant ear (plural elephant ears)

1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see elephant,‎ ear.
2. A funnel cake.
3. A flat, crisp, sugared pastry made of fried dough.

   Coordinate term: beavertail

4. A palmier.
5. Any of several plants in tribe Colocasieae or Caladieae.
   1. A taro plant, of genera Alocasia, Colocasia, or Xanthosoma.
   2. Caladium.
6. Burdock (Arctium spp.).
7. Any bergenia, esp. of species Bergenia crassifolia,
8. Gynandrocarpa placenta
9. (aviation, slang) A section of aileron that protrudes beyond the wing.
   • 1990, Alaskan Aviation History: 1929-1930, page 714:

     It did not have the “elephant ears” on the ailerons like the earlier Waco Model 9.

10. (aerospace, slang) A reinforcing disk on a missile.

Derived terms

• elephant-ear fern (Elaphoglossum crinitum)
• elephant-ear sponge (Spongia officinalis lamella)
• elephant ear tree (Enterolobium cyclocarpum or Macaranga gigantea)