Alce
/ˈæl.sə/noun
An obsolete English word for an elk or moose.
Did you know?The word survives scientifically in Alces, the zoological genus that includes the modern moose, though its ultimate origin is uncertain and may involve an ancient Celtic borrowing.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Celtic, possibly
Celtic
*alces
“An ancient name for an elk-like animal; the precise Celtic form is reconstructed and its origin is uncertain.”
1st Century BCE–1st Century CE
Latin
alces
“Elk or moose; recorded by Roman writers as a northern European animal.”
Old Norse
Old Norse
elgr
“Elk.”
Old English
Old English
eolh
“Elk; also the name of a runic symbol associated with the elk.”
Middle English
English
alce
“An elk or moose, used as an archaic or learned form.”
Modern English
English
Alces
“The scientific genus containing the moose, while alce itself survives mainly in historical or dictionary records.”