How Do You Spell WHITE-ELEPHANT?

Pronunciation: [wˈa͡ɪtˈɛlɪfənt] (IPA)

The term "white-elephant" refers to something of little value that is difficult to dispose of. It is spelled with a hyphen to separate "white" and "elephant." The pronunciation of "white" and "elephant" also has different long vowel sounds, "aɪ" and "ɛ," respectively. The IPA phonetic transcription for "white-elephant" is /ˌwaɪt ˈɛləfənt/. This spelling and pronunciation have been used since the 1800s in British English, originating from the legend of the giving of a rare white elephant as a gift, which was both costly to maintain and impossible to dispose of.

WHITE-ELEPHANT Meaning and Definition

  1. White-elephant is a noun which refers to an item or possession that is luxurious, extravagant, or prestigious, but ultimately serves little practical purpose or carries a burden of high maintenance and upkeep costs. The term is often used metaphorically to describe something that is cumbersome, inefficient, or burdensome, especially if it becomes burdensome to the owner due to its high cost or inability to be disposed of easily.

    The term "white-elephant" originates from an ancient tradition in Southeast Asia, where white elephants were considered sacred and were often given as gifts to monarchs. These elephants were held in high regard and their upkeep required substantial resources. As a result, they were considered both prestigious and burdensome. Over time, the term has evolved beyond its literal meaning and has become a metaphorical representation of possessions or ventures that are more trouble than they are worth.

    In modern usage, a white-elephant can refer to a wide range of objects or projects, such as enormous, extravagant buildings that are difficult to maintain, expensive technological gadgets that quickly become obsolete, or publicly-funded initiatives that drain resources without yielding significant benefits. The term conveys a sense of wastefulness and impracticality, emphasizing the mismatch between the perceived value or prestige of something and its actual usefulness or practicality.

Common Misspellings for WHITE-ELEPHANT

  • wite elephant
  • whit elephant
  • white elphant
  • white elephan
  • white alephant
  • white elaphant
  • whitepelephant
  • white0-elephant
  • white-0elephant
  • whitep-elephant
  • white-pelephant
  • white--elephant
  • whitemelephant
  • whighte-elephant
  • white-elephaunt
  • White-elefant
  • White-elipant

Etymology of WHITE-ELEPHANT

The term "white-elephant" originated from Southeast Asia, particularly from the regions of Thailand, Burma (now Myanmar), Laos, and Cambodia. In these countries, white elephants were highly revered and considered sacred.

In the Thai language, the word for white elephant is "chang samkhan", where "chang" means elephant, and "samkhan" means auspicious or sacred. Similarly, in the Burmese language, it is called "sin pone", where "sin" means elephant and "pone" represents albinism or whiteness.

The concept of a white elephant being a symbol of prestige, power, and divinity is deeply ingrained in the cultural and religious practices of these societies. Owning a white elephant was seen as a sign of wealth and prosperity, as elephants were essential for agricultural work, transportation, and warfare.

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