1. Members of the mammalian order Proboscidea, characterized by a long flexible trunk and tusks; includes elephants and extinct relatives such as mammoths and mastodons.
Usage: Plural form; used in zoology and paleontology; Refers to both living and extinct species

Examples

• Proboscideans are among the largest land mammals ever to exist.
• The fossil record shows that proboscideans evolved in Africa millions of years ago.
• Modern proboscideans are represented by African and Asian elephants.
• Extinct proboscideans like woolly mammoths roamed the ice age landscape.
• Scientists study proboscideans to understand the evolution of large terrestrial mammals.