key deer

noun

variants often Key deer
: a very small rare white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus clavium) native to the Florida Keys

Examples of key deer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Big Pine Key is famous for a diminutive land species, the key deer, which can be observed all over the 10-square-mile island, including along the roadside and on trails within the National Key Deer Refuge. Terry Ward, AFAR Media, 5 Nov. 2025 The adorable Key deer are found in the Lower Keys and nowhere else on the planet. Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 27 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1922, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of key deer was in 1922

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Cite this Entry

“Key deer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/key%20deer. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

key deer

noun
often capitalized K
: a very small rare white-tailed deer native to the Florida Keys
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