venison

noun

ven·​i·​son ˈve-nə-sən 

also -zən

British usually ˈven-zən

plural venisons also venison

: the edible flesh of a game animal and especially a deer

Examples of venison in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

High levels of CoQ10 are found in reindeer (venison), beef, and pork. — Verywell Health, 16 July 2026

Sometimes a less reliable dog will smell in this manner the hot body scent of venison as a trembling doe crouches close in the brush upwind. — Frank C. Hibben, Outdoor Life, 15 July 2026

Cortina, the hotel's fanciest restaurant, applies Northern Italian techniques to Montana ingredients like bison and venison, while the 11,000-square-foot spa gives guests a place to unwind after a day on the slopes or the trails. — Jesse Ashlock, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 July 2026

Another Adams County favorite for farm-to-table cuisine, Sign of the Buck in the 1804 Union Hotel serves dishes that run the gamut from braised venison to a pork belly banh mi sandwich to a crab cake eggs Benedict at brunch. — Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 27 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English venisoun "game animal, meat of a game animal," borrowed from Anglo-French veneisun, going back to Latin vēnātiōn-, vēnātiō "hunting, game animals," from vēnārī "to go hunting, hunt" (probably derivative of a nominal stem *wēn- "hunting, of the hunt," lengthened-grade derivative of a verbal stem *wen- "wish, desire") + -tiōn-, tiō, suffix of action nouns — more at venus

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Video

Words of the Year: 1066

English was never the same after the Norman Conquest

Kids Definition

venison

noun

ven·​i·​son ˈven-ə-sən 

also -ə-zən

: the flesh of a deer used as food

Etymology

Middle English venison "the flesh of a game animal hunted for food," from early French veneisun "flesh of hunted animals, venison," from Latin venation-, venatio, "hunting," from venari "to hunt"