Meaning of ‘An Elephant Never Forgets’
The idiom ‘an elephant never forgets’ means that someone has an excellent memory, especially for remembering important details over a long period of time.
Example: You can count on Mike to remember everything on that grocery list you left at home because an elephant never forgets.
Similar Phrases: a photographic memory, always remembers, memory like an elephant
Related Idioms:
Interested in exploring more idioms that start with the letter A? Check out our Popular Idioms Starting With A page for a list of them.
Origin of ‘An Elephant Never Forgets’
As the saying goes, an elephant never forgets. But is that really true? It’s doubtful that elephants have perfect memories. If taken literally, this phrase sounds more like an exaggeration than it does accurate. But even so, it should be mentioned that while these animals may not be capable of remembering everything perfectly, they do indeed have very good memories.
For example, there are reports of elephants being able to remember people or other animals they’ve been with before, even well after a decade of separation. Not too shabby, if you ask me.
Anyway, where does this phrase come from? Well, it may stem from the reputation elephants have for being intelligent animals. However, there is a more plausible explanation as to where it comes from, so let’s talk about it:
From what I’ve heard, there’s apparently an older expression that goes ‘a camel never forgets an injury.’ While this specific saying is not common today (at least, not in the USA), it is possible that the phrase ‘an elephant never forgets’ derives from it. After all, the wording is noticeably similar between these two expressions.
The phrase itself does not appear to be that old. The earliest I could find it in print is from the Wagga Wagga Advertiser newspaper, February 1883:
“And depend upon it such ill-used men like the Delhi elephant, never forget the sting, and seize the first available opportunity for bespattering the reporters with mud.”
Example Sentences
Let’s look at a few usage cases for this everyday phrase:
Example Sentences:
1. Of course I remembered to pay you back John. An elephant never forgets, after all.
2. Whenever our Grandma visits, she always brings up old stories. It’s like an elephant never forgets when it comes to her memory!
Example Sentences Using Similar Idioms:
1. She always remembers to lock the door before leaving for work.
2. I seem to have a photographic memory for remembering the lyrics to my favorite songs.
See Also: Elephant In The Room
Elephants have a handful of common expressions related to them, and this is one of them. Learn all about the phrase ‘an elephant in the room,’ including what it means.