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white elephant

An ornament etc that is unwanted or is a financial burden; an unprofitable investment.

Etymology:

  • In Siam elephants were working animals. However, white elephants were considered sacred and therefore were not to be put to work. The owner was then left to feed the elephant but could get no work from it. It is said that the King of Siam used to make a present of a white elephant to courtiers he wanted to ruin.
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Submitted on September 01, 2009

Additional definitions for 'white elephant':

white elephantAn albino elephant.
White ElephantA useless object, an expensive but useless possession
white elephantSomething you have but useless
See them all »

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Nearby phrases

Some more phrases from our dictionary similar to white elephant

in black and whiteWhite Housewhite as snowwhite outwhite manwhite goodsin black and whitewhite as driven snowWhite Housewhite on ricewave the white flagfree, white, and twenty-onewhite liewhite man

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