elephant's toothpaste

noun

A foamy substance caused by the rapid decomposition of hydrogen peroxide using potassium iodide as a catalyst; the outcome of a popular educational experiment in chemistry.

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Meanings

nounelephant's toothpaste (uncountable)

alternative elephant toothpaste

  1. uncountableA foamy substance caused by the rapid decomposition of hydrogen peroxide using potassium iodide as a catalyst; the outcome of a popular educational experiment in chemistry.

Origin

The foamy texture and size of the resulting mass suggest a large amount of toothpaste, as might be imagined to be used by a large creature like an elephant.

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Cite this entry
APA

elephant's toothpaste. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/elephant's%20toothpaste

MLA

“elephant's toothpaste.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/elephant's%20toothpaste. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “elephant's toothpaste,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/elephant's%20toothpaste.

Source: elephant's toothpaste on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.