Elephant vs. Monkey — What's the Difference?

Large mammals known for their massive bodies and long trunks.

Social animals that thrive in groups.

Known for their long lifespans in the wild.

Primates known for their agility and dexterity.

Exhibits complex social behaviors and intelligence.

Have a range of sizes and features, including tails.

Found primarily in Africa and Asia.

Diets vary widely but often include fruit and insects.

Herbivores that require vast amounts of food.

Found in both Old World and New World regions.

Elephants are a select group of proboscideans belonging to the family Elephantidae. They are the largest existing land animals.

Monkey is a common name that may refer to certain groups or species of simian mammals of infraorder Simiiformes. The term is applied descriptively to groups of primates, such as families of New World monkeys and Old World monkeys.

Any of several very large herbivorous mammals of the family Elephantidae native to Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia, having thick, almost hairless skin, a long, flexible, prehensile trunk, upper incisors forming long curved tusks of ivory, and, in the African species, large fan-shaped ears.

Any of various tailed primates of the suborder Anthropoidea, including the macaques, baboons, capuchins, and marmosets, and excluding the apes.

Any of various extinct animals of the family Elephantidae.

A nonhuman ape. Not in scientific use.

A mammal of the order Proboscidea, having a trunk, and two large ivory tusks jutting from the upper jaw.

One who behaves in a way suggestive of a monkey, as a mischievous child or a mimic.

(in particular) Any member of the subfamily Elephantinae not also of the genera Mammuthus and Primelephas.

The iron block of a pile driver.

(figuratively) Anything huge and ponderous.

(Slang) A person who is mocked, duped, or made to appear a fool

Synonym of elephant paper

Offensive Slang Used as a disparaging term for a person with dark skin.

Used when counting to add length, so that each count takes about one second

To play, fiddle, trifle, or tamper with something

Ivory.

To behave in a mischievous or apish manner

(xiangqi) A xiangqi piece, that is moved two points diagonally, may not jump over intervening pieces and may not cross the river.

To imitate or mimic; ape.

A mammal of the order Proboscidia and family Elephantidae, of which two living species, Elephas maximus (formerly Elephas Indicus) and Loxodonta Africana (formerly E. Africanus), and several fossil species, are known. They have five toes, a long proboscis or trunk, and two large ivory tusks proceeding from the extremity of the upper jaw, and curving upwards. The molar teeth are large and have transverse folds. Elephants are the largest land animals now existing. The elephant is classed as a pachyderm.

(properly) A member of the clade Simiiformes other than those in the clade Hominoidea containing humans and apes, generally (but not universally) distinguished by small size, tails, and cheek pouches.

Ivory; the tusk of the elephant.

A human considered to resemble monkeys in some way, including:

Five-toed pachyderm

A naughty or mischievous person, especially a child.

The symbol of the Republican Party; introduced in cartoons by Thomas Nast in 1874

(slang) The person in the motorcycle sidecar in sidecar racing.

(pejorative) idiot: a person of minimal intelligence.

(pejorative) uggo: an unattractive person, especially one whose face supposedly resembles a monkey's.

Synonym of puppet: a person dancing to another's tune, a person controlled or directed by another.

A menial employee who does a repetitive job supposedly requiring minimal intelligence.

A black, a black person.

(historical) A small trading vessel of the sixteenth century.

The vessel in which a mess receives its full allowance of grog.

The weight of a pile driver or drop hammer.

A fluid consisting of hydrochloric acid and zinc, used in the process of soldering.

(slang) five hundred, especially (British) 500 pounds sterling or 500 dollars.

(blackjack) face card.

(slang) A person's temper, said to be "up" when they are angry.

(slang) A drug habit; an addiction; a compulsion.

(dance) A dance popularized by Major Lance in 1963, now usually only its upper-body dance move involving exaggerated drumming motions.

To meddle; to mess (with).

(transitive) To mimic; to ape.

In the most general sense, any one of the Quadrumana, including apes, baboons, and lemurs.

A term of disapproval, ridicule, or contempt, as for a mischievous child.

The weight or hammer of a pile driver, that is, a very heavy mass of iron, which, being raised on high, falls on the head of the pile, and drives it into the earth; the falling weight of a drop hammer used in forging.

A small trading vessel of the sixteenth century.

To act or treat as a monkey does; to ape; to act in a grotesque or meddlesome manner.

Any of various long-tailed primates (excluding the prosimians)

One who is playfully mischievous

Play around with or alter or falsify, usually secretively or dishonestly;

Do random, unplanned work or activities or spend time idly;

Many species of both elephants and monkeys are threatened due to habitat loss and poaching.

Elephants are typically found in savannahs and forests, while monkeys are more diverse, inhabiting various environments including rainforests and mountains.

Yes, both are known to use tools; elephants use sticks to scratch themselves, while some monkeys use stones to crack nuts.

Elephants are herbivores, focusing on vegetation, while monkeys are usually omnivorous, with diets that can include insects and even small animals.

Elephants have a matriarchal structure, whereas monkeys can have various social systems, often forming large, complex groups.

Both are culturally significant; elephants are often seen as symbols of wisdom and memory in various cultures, while monkeys are viewed as symbols of trickery and playfulness.

Both are considered highly intelligent; elephants are known for their memory and problem-solving skills, and monkeys for their problem-solving and social strategies.

Their long lifespans are attributed to their slow metabolism and the evolutionary advantage of a longer life for raising and teaching young.

In many monkey species, especially in the New World, tails are used for balance and are sometimes prehensile, aiding in climbing.

Both face significant threats from habitat destruction and illegal wildlife trade, impacting their populations worldwide.