Main Entry:

deer

Pronunciation:

\ˈdir\

Function:

noun

Inflected Form(s):

plural deer also deers

Etymology:

Middle English, deer, animal, from Old English dēor beast; akin to Old High German tior wild animal, Lithuanian dvasia breath, spirit

Date:

before 12th century

1archaic : animal ; especially : a small mammal2: any of numerous slender-legged ruminant mammals (family Cervidae, the deer family) having usually brownish fur and antlers borne by the males of nearly all and by the females of a few forms

— deer·like \-ˌlīk\ adjective