eland, noun

/ˈiːlənd/, /ˈɪəlant/
Forms:
eeland, eilandShow more Also (rarely) eeland, eiland, elland, eyeland, eyland, iland.
Plurals:
unchanged, or elands.
Origin:
South African Dutch, DutchShow more South African Dutch, transferred use of Dutch eland elk.
1.
a. The antelope Taurotragus oryx of the Bovidae, the largest of the African antelopes, several subspecies of which are found in southern and central Africa; impofu; kanna noun3; pofu. Also attributive.
1786 G. Forster tr. of A. Sparrman’s Voy. to Cape of G.H. II. 204Eland, or Kaapse Eland..is a name given by the colonists to a species of gazel which is somewhat larger and clumsier, though, upon the whole, handsomer than the hartbeest.
1790 W. Paterson Narr. of Four Journeys 54We saw several Elks, Eyelands, &c.
1824 W.J. Burchell Trav. II. 23By the same misuse of names, the Kanna of the Cape Colony is called Eland, which is the proper name of the Cervus Alces or Elk.
a1827 D. Carmichael in W.J. Hooker Botanical Misc. (1831) II. 273The larger animals such as the Ox, the Eland, the Buffalo, the Hart-beest, and even the Ostrich.
1837 ‘N. Polson’ Subaltern’s Sick Leave 138The eiland, an animal as large as an ox; and the best eating of any of the genus. When thin, eilands gallop fast; but when fat, the old bulls may be easily ridden up to.
1841 B. Shaw Memorials 8A number of rhinoceroses, eilands, antelopes, one troop of seven, and another of eight elephants.
1887 S.W. Silver & Co.’s Handbk to S. Afr. 170The eland together with the koodoo, gemsbok, and springbok, are antelopes which can exist almost without water, as long as there is any sap in the herbage.
1897 H.A. Bryden Nature & Sport 217The eland, from its great size and astonishing fatness, is the easiest of all game to be destroyed.
1937 H. Sauer Ex Afr. 51The eland is the only African antelope that carries fat in his internal exonomy, a peculiarity which makes him a valuable prize in the hunting veld, where fat is scarce.
1951 A. Roberts Mammals 20Elands...The primitive Bushmen were evidently very partial to them, as they figured in their paintings more often than any other animals.
1979 Heard & Faull Our Best Trad. Recipes 53Our own big game hunters favour the following for venison: eland, springbok, duiker..and oribi.
1980 J. Hanks Mammals 33Eland, Taurotragus oryx, Very large antelope with a slight hump at the shoulder, a prominent dewlap...Although a very heavy animal, eland can easily clear a 250cm high fence from a standing start.
1990 S. Afr. Panorama July–Aug. 19A remaining wilderness island where large numbers of the rare eland and gemsbok still roam undisturbed.
1994 M. Roberts tr. of J.A. Wahlberg’s Trav. Jrnls 1838–56 61Bagged my first Eland, a cow.
b. combinations obsolete
elandbok [South African Dutch, bok antelope], the eland;
eland-vogel [Dutch, vogel bird], some unknown bird.
1796 C.R. Hopson tr. of C.P. Thunberg’s Trav. II. 58Eland-boks..were sometimes to be met with and shot.
1838 J.E. Alexander Exped. into Int. I. 115Hares I found in plenty at the Orange river mouth; there is also the large elandbok to be found here.
1822 W.J. Burchell Trav. I. 245The Eland-vogel which was procured here, is a handsome bird, and may easily be discovered by its remarkable clear and loud note.
2. Military. Usually with initial capital. A small armoured reconnaissance vehicle developed by the South African army during the 1960s from the French Panhard. Also attributive. See also buffel sense 2.
Note:
Often as Eland 60 or Eland 90, these being the measurement, in millimetres, of the cannon with which these vehicles are armed.
1977 B. Marks Our S. Afr. Army 29The Eland 60 armoured car, with a turret mounted mortar and light machine-gun..is an extremely manoeuvrable vehicle and has a very long operating range.
1979 Paratus Jan. 19At the other end of the operational area the local population and the SA soldiers are guarded by members of 2 SS B with their Eland 90 armoured vehicles.
1983 Jane’s Armour & Artillery 1982–3 202Reconnaissance vehicles...South Africa. Eland Light Armoured Car.
1988 E. Prov. Herald 11 Feb. 1A black Mercedes-Benz with Bophuthatswana military officials..was forced back by a SADF Eland.
The antelope Taurotragus oryx of the Bovidae, the largest of the African antelopes, several subspecies of which are found in southern and central Africa; impofu; kanna noun3; pofu. Also attributive.
Usually with initial capital.A small armoured reconnaissance vehicle developed by the South African army during the 1960s from the French Panhard. Also attributive.
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elandbok
eland-vogel

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EL, nounn.elandsboontjie, nounn.
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