deer

noun

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 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 During this time, hunters could spot deer and other game more easily because fields had recently been reaped under the harvest moon. Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 18 Oct. 2024 The other side: Opponents argue a hunting ban would lead to a significant rise in the number of big cats, which could pose a threat to deer and elk herds. Alayna Alvarez, Axios, 18 Oct. 2024 This would include many of the materials commonly used to make traditional flies and fishing lures, such as deer and elk hair and rabbit fur. Cameron Evans, Outdoor Life, 17 Oct. 2024 The house acts as a wildlife hide, deer and foxes wandering into frame; cows graze outside. Rick Jordan, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for deer 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deer.' 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

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of deer was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near deer

Cite this Entry

“Deer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deer. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

deer

noun
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.

More from Merriam-Webster on deer

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