elephant's-foot \| ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷| ̷ ̷\noun (pluralelephant's-foots) 1. a.: a plant of the genus Elephantopus b.: a southern African vine (Dioscorea elephantipes) having a massive rootstock covered with a deeply fissured bark — called also tortoise plant; see hottentot bread 2.: a ram with a foot for holding the work to the block in a flanging machine