sika

noun

si·​ka ˈsē-kə How to pronounce sika (audio)
: a deer (Cervus nippon) of eastern Asia that has a chestnut to brownish coat often spotted with white and that has established populations in other regions (such as Europe and the U.S.) as a result of introduction

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web This is the first article to report mating behaviour between a male Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata yakui) and female sika deer (Cervus nippon yakushimae) on Yakushima Island, Japan. Seriously Science, Discover Magazine, 9 Mar. 2018 Chinese farmers have been raising sika deer for their velvet for hundreds of years. The New Yorker, 7 Mar. 2022 The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced that the two-week firearms hunting season for sika and white-tailed deer opens Saturday and runs through Saturday, Dec. 11. Aegis Staff Report, baltimoresun.com, 24 Nov. 2021 And what about those wild creatures, embarking on an urban commute as the cities emptied out – from the raccoons of Central Park, to the goats by Istanbul’s deserted airport highway and the sika deer ambling through Nara, Japan. Sairah Ashman, Forbes, 21 Apr. 2021 The expert team found that many early cases had no clear connection to Huanan market, which sold sika deer, badgers, bamboo rats, live crocodiles and other animals, according to vendor records cited in the report. New York Times, 30 Mar. 2021 In Japan’s Nara Park, visitors feed the resident sika deer special crackers provided by the park. Ula Chrobak, Popular Science, 4 Mar. 2021 Public lands on the lower Eastern Shore also offer the chance to hunt sika deer. Brian Lovett, Field & Stream, 1 Sep. 2020 About 85% of Siberian tigers' diet consists of wild boar, red deer and sika deer. Lauren Kent, CNN, 8 June 2020 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sika.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Japanese shika

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sika was in 1859

Dictionary Entries Near sika

Cite this Entry

“Sika.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sika. Accessed 31 Mar. 2023.

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