stag

noun \ ˈstag \

|Updated on: 10 Jul 2018

Examples: stag in a Sentence

Definition of stag

plural stags

1 or plural stag : an adult male red deer; also : the male of various other deer (especially genus Cervus)

2 chiefly Scotland : a young horse; especially : a young unbroken stallion

3 : a male animal castrated after sexual maturity — compare steer 1

4 : a young adult male domestic chicken or turkey

5 a : a social gathering of men only

b : one who attends a dance or party without a companion

See stag defined for English-language learners

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Recent Examples of stag from the Web

The night Donna was attacked, Regan’s first cousin held a stag party for his friends.

— ruth padawer, New York Times, "Should Statutes of Limitations for Rape Be Abolished?," 19 June 2018
There are half-naked lovers, fishing cupids, chariots pulled by horse-size birds, elephants and ostriches and stags, mythological animals —and women in bikinis batting a ball.

— alice short, latimes.com, "Avoiding pain and finding only pleasure in Sicily," 27 May 2018
Once March arrives, the sports stags wind down, everybody's a hoops expert and the neighbor that used to piddle in his yard returns from hibernation.

— cincinnati enquirer, Cincinnati.com, "Springer: Who has the best path to March?," 21 Jan. 2018
Anderson High School will have featured speaker Sean Casey for its sports stag.

— james weber, Cincinnati.com, "Hall of Fame lineup on tap for high school sports stags/dinners," 18 Jan. 2018
There was Ingrid Silva soaring into a stag leap, her partner flawlessly catching her in midair.

— laura bleiberg, latimes.com, "Dance Theatre of Harlem comes full circle with stirring Broad Stage program," 22 Apr. 2018
And a growing commitment to augmenting the grotesqueries of Gothick design, colored glass at the windows lending the place a cathedral air with images not of saints but suns and moons, stars, falcons, an antlered stag.

— Longreads, "The Ladies Who Were Famous for Wanting to Be Left Alone," 17 Apr. 2018
Contrary to some people’s vision of the Dutch city, Amsterdam isn’t all roaming packs of British stag parties and college-aged tourists.

— andrea whittle, Condé Nast Traveler, "3 Days in Amsterdam," 16 Apr. 2018
This is the remarkable moment a lucky man managed to capture two majestic stags rutting under a perfect rainbow.

— arthur vundla, Fox News, "Hiker captures incredible photos of stags against perfect rainbow," 21 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'stag.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of stag

Middle English stagge, from Old English stagga; akin to Old Norse andarsteggi drake

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

Other Hunting and Fishing Terms

chum, covert, creel, flense, pitfall, seine, skulk, spoor, trawl

stag

verb

Definition of stag

stagged; stagging

transitive verb

British

: to spy on

intransitive verb

: to attend a dance or party without a companion

Origin and Etymology of stag

stag (informer)

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1796

in the meaning defined at transitive sense

See Words from the same year

stag

adjective

Definition of stag

1 a : restricted to men

a stag party

b : intended for a male audience; especially : pornographic

stag movies

2 : unaccompanied by someone of the opposite sex

stag women

—

stag

adverb

Examples of stag in a Sentence

a stash of stag flicks that were hidden in the basement

First Known Use of stag

1843

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

STAG Defined for English Language Learners

stag

noun

Definition of stag for English Language Learners

: an adult male deer

STAG Defined for Kids

stag

noun \ ˈstag \

Definition of stag for Students

: an adult male deer

Learn More about stag

See words that rhyme with stag Spanish Central: Translation of stag Nglish: Translation of stag for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of stag for Arabic speakers

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stag

Definition of stag

Recent Examples of stag from the Web

Origin and Etymology of stag

Other Hunting and Fishing Terms

stag

Definition of stag

Origin and Etymology of stag

stag

Definition of stag

stag

Examples of stag in a Sentence

First Known Use of stag

Phrases Related to STAG

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STAG Defined for English Language Learners

stag

Definition of stag for English Language Learners

STAG Defined for Kids

stag

Definition of stag for Students

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