caribou

noun

car·​i·​bou ˈker-ə-ˌbü 

ˈka-rə-

plural caribou or caribous

: a large gregarious deer (Rangifer tarandus) of Holarctic taiga and tundra that usually has palmate antlers in both sexes

—used especially for one of the New World

called also reindeer

Illustration of caribou

Examples of caribou in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Idaho is home to six animal species listed as endangered under federal law, including Kootenai River white sturgeon and southern mountain caribou. —Idaho Statesman, 22 Apr. 2026

The miles of sedge and duvet-thick moss formed the basis of a feast for seasonal caribou, grizzlies, muskox, and roughly 200 bird species. —Quanta Magazine, 6 Apr. 2026

The remaining four caribou scattered as the frantic cow skidded and staggered, trying to shake the clinging wolf. —Frank Glaser, Outdoor Life, 1 Apr. 2026

Irreplaceable caribou calving grounds and globally significant migratory bird habitats will be decimated if development continues at its current accelerated pace. —Stephanie Pearson, Outside, 17 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

earlier caribo, borrowed from Micmac qalipu (phonetically ɣalibu, 17th-18th-century *ɣaribu), agentive derivative of qalipi- "shovel snow," going back to proto-Algonquian *maka·lipi-; so called from its habit of scraping aside snow with its front feet in search of food

First Known Use

circa 1665, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for caribou

• amadou
• avenue
• ballyhoo
• baraboo
• barbecue
• barbeque
• bugaboo
• cabildo
• cockatoo
• detinue
• devalue
• donohue

Kids Definition

caribou

noun

car·​i·​bou ˈkar-ə-ˌbü 

plural caribou or caribous

: a large animal of the deer family that is found in cold northern regions

—used especially for one of the New World

called also reindeer

Etymology

from Canadian French caribou "caribou," from Micmac (Indigenous language of northeastern Canada) γalipu