mahout

noun

person who rides an elephant

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /məˈhaʊt/ / /məˈhuːt/ / /məˈhut/

noun

Etymology: PIE word *méǵh₂s The noun is borrowed from Hindustani (Hindi महौत (mahaut)/Urdu مَہَوت (mahaut)), महाउत (mahāut), variants of महावत (mahāvat)/مَہاوَت (mahāvat), from Sanskrit महामात्र (mahāmātra, “elephant keeper; high official; king’s minister”), from महा (mahā, “great”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s (“big, great”)) + मात्र (mātra, “measure; quantity”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *meh₁- (“to measure”)). The verb is derived from the noun.

An elephant trainer, keeper, and driver.
“The Serrievvan hath the overſight of the Camels, and the Mahout, that of the Elephants.”
“The very best of all the elephants belonged to the very worst of all the drivers or mahouts; and the superior beast's name was Moti Guj. He was the absolute property of his mahout, which would never have been the case under native rule, for Moti Guj was a creature to be desired by kings; and his name, being translated, meant the Pearl Elephant.”

verb

To drive (an elephant or elephants).
“Word was passed down the river, the call going out for the bravest of Brul mahouting only the strongest of mounts.”
“Don't forget, though, your wedding will always be memorable to you yourself, […] On the other hand, even if you arrive on an elephant mahouted by Lady Gaga, there will still be guests in years to come who won't be able to remember whose wedding that was because they were aged 26–32 at the time and it was the eighth wedding they were at that year.”
To drive elephants.
“First a team of six ponied pulling a miniature fire engine jumping with midget firefighters, then a dozen scantily mahouted elephants painted pink, came out of the arc light and sawdut into neon glow and mirroring asphalt.”
“Traditionally they are hunters and gatherers but today they are agricultural labourers. […] They are experts at collecting honey and mahouting.”