Something requiring much care and expense to maintain and yielding little profit, and often difficult to sell; any burdensome possession.
something that is of little use or profit, especially something that is maintained at great expense. Some in Britain argue that the Falkland Islands, which Britain retained pssession of after a war with Argentina in 1982, are a white elephant, because they cost a huge amount of money to defend, and yet they are very small and have only a tiny population.
albinic Indian elephant; rare and sometimes venerated in east Asia
a rare, pale elephant considered sacred to the people in India, Thailand, Burma, and Sri Lanka
a sacred, auspicious symbol in India, where the Buddha was born, and is depicted as the vehicle that brought to earth the Buddha-to-be
Slang for property or a business that is so costly to maintain or operate that it is impossible to make a profit.... read full article
A white elephant is a supposedly valuable possession whose upkeep exceeds its usefulness, and it is therefore a liability. The term derives from the sacred white elephants kept by traditional Southeast Asian monarchs in Burma, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. To possess a white elephant was regarded (and still is regarded, in Thailand and Burma), as a sign that the monarch was ruling with justice and the kingdom was blessed with peace and prosperity.
A white elephant (also albino elephant) is a rare kind of elephant. Although often depicted as snow white, their skin is normally a soft reddish-brown, turning a light pink when wet. They have fair eyelashes and toenails.