deer

noun

ˈdir 

plural deer also deers

1

: any of various slender-legged, even-toed, ruminant mammals (family Cervidae, the deer family) having usually brownish fur and deciduous antlers borne by the males of nearly all and by the females only of the caribou : cervid

2

archaic : animal

especially : a small mammal

deerlike

ˈdir-ˌlīk 

adjective

Did you know?

The meaning of a word often develops from the general to the specific. For instance, deer is used in modern English to mean several related forms of an animal species, including white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, and moose. The Old English deor, however, could refer to any animal, tame or wild, or to wild animals in general. In time, deer came to be used only for wild animals that were hunted, and then for the red deer, once widely hunted in England. From that usage the term has spread to related animals, becoming somewhat more general again.

Examples of deer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The government [has] professional shooters shoot deer and quite often leave them in our national parks, [making] the wild dog population worse. —Laurie Ochoa, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2024

Naturally, the landscape attracts wildlife year-round, which could include deer, moose, and birds of prey. —Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 12 Apr. 2024

On the trails, be on the lookout for deer, moose, and black bears. —Jacqueline Dole, Travel + Leisure, 29 Mar. 2024

History By the 1860s, U.S. hunters were well familiar with the 10 gauge, shooting it on deer, waterfowl, upland birds, and small game. —Joe Genzel, Outdoor Life, 28 Mar. 2024

Attacks on humans are extremely rare, as the large cats are more interested in avoiding human contact and typically seek deer as prey. —Jacqueline Pinedo, Sacramento Bee, 25 Mar. 2024

Fresh air, mountains, more deer than people, all the quiet and space. —Julia Turshen, Washington Post, 28 Mar. 2024

In addition to the rare opportunity to enter the wolf enclosure and meet these remarkable creatures, the park hosts deer, lynx, reindeer, wolverine, Arctic fox, and the brown bear. —David Nikel, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024

This deer was very famous and hit peak visibility around 2010 to 2012. —Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 27 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing deer

• barking deer
• axis deer
• deer mouse
• mule deer
• black-tailed deer
• deer tick
• fallow deer
• musk deer
• red deer
• white-tailed deer
• roe deer
• key deer

Kids Definition

deer

noun

ˈdi(ə)r 

plural deer

: any of a family of cloven-hoofed cud-chewing mammals (as an elk, a caribou, or a white-tailed deer) of which the males of almost all species have antlers while the females of only a few species do

Etymology

Old English dēor "wild animal, beast"

Word Origin

The meaning of a word often develops from the general to the specific. For instance, deer is used in modern English to mean several related forms, including white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, and moose. The Old English dēor, however, could refer to any animal, tame or wild, or to wild animals in general. In time, deer came to be used only for wild animals that were hunted and then for the red deer, once widely hunted in England. From that usage the term has spread to related animals, becoming somewhat more general again.