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elephant in the room

A problem or difficult issue that is very obvious, but is ignored for the convenience or comfort of those involved.

Etymology:

  • US origin, possibly from Ivan Andreevich Kyrlov's 1814 fable, “The Inquisitive Man”, which tells of a man going to a museum and noticing all sorts of things apart from an elephant.
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Submitted on September 01, 2009

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elefante en el cuarto

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Nearby phrases

Some more phrases from our dictionary similar to elephant in the room

elephant earsroom-temperature IQelephant earelephant earon the cutting room floorelbow roomelephant earroom for doubtrubber roomelephant earread the roomnot enough room to swing a catelbow roomelephant ear

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