white elephant

What it means

A white elephant is a possession, project, or building that is costly to maintain and provides little value in return — a burden disguised as an asset. It's used about underused stadiums, oversized homes, ambitious public infrastructure, and unwanted gifts that you can't easily discard.

Examples

• That huge mansion became a white elephant after the family downsized.
• Critics called the new airport terminal a white elephant from day one.
• We do a white elephant gift exchange every year at the office party.
• The unused stadium turned into a white elephant for the host city.

Where it comes from

From a legend about kings of Siam (now Thailand), who reportedly gave sacred white elephants to courtiers they disliked. The animals could not be worked or given away, and their upkeep ruined the recipient. The English idiom became common in the 19th century.

Related idioms