World Languages Lexicon
10 Language-to-English Dictionarieswhite-elephant
/ˌwaɪt ˈɛlɪfənt/Comprehensive Definitions & Senses
1 sense- 1
A possession that is useless or troublesome, especially one that is expensive to maintain or difícil to dispose of.
"The new stadium quickly became an expensive white elephant that the city could not afford to run."
Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology
Derived from the historic practice of the King of Siam giving rare white elephants to courtiers who had displeased him; the cost of maintaining the animal would ruin the recipient.
Which of the following is the closest synonym for "white-elephant"?
10 Global Lexicons: How "white-elephant" is said worldwide
Click any language below to open its dedicated Language to English dictionary page with native script & transliteration
éléphant blanc
Transliteration: éléphant blanc
"Ce grand projet culturel risque de devenir un éléphant blanc."
weißer Elefant
Transliteration: weißer Elefant
"Das neue Opernhaus erwies sich als teurer weißer Elefant."
elefante bianco
Transliteration: elefante bianco
"Quella struttura abbandonata è diventata un vero elefante bianco."
elefante blanco
Transliteration: elefante blanco
"El aeropuerto abandonado es un elefante blanco para la ciudad."
elefante branco
Transliteration: elefante branco
"Aquele estádio custou uma fortuna e agora é um elefante branco."
सफेद हाथी
Transliteration: safed haathi
"यह परियोजना केवल एक सफेद हाथी साबित हुई है।"
累赘
Transliteration: lěizhuì
Script: 白象
"这座废弃的体育馆成了城市的一个累赘。"
애물단지
Transliteration: aemuldanji
"그 건물은 유지비만 많이 드는 애물단지가 되었다."
厄介者
Transliteration: akkaimono
Script: 白い象
"その巨大な公共施設は維持費がかかる厄介者と化した。"
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