Main Entry:

moose

Pronunciation:

\ˈmüs\

Function:

noun

Inflected Form(s):

plural moose

Etymology:

of Algonquian origin; akin to Massachusett moos moose

Date:

1603

1: a ruminant mammal (Alces alces) with humped shoulders, long legs, and broadly palmated antlers that is the largest existing member of the deer family and inhabits forested areas of Canada, the northern United States, Europe, and Asia2capitalized [Loyal Order of Moose] : a member of a major benevolent and fraternal order

[moose illustration]