doe
1 Americannoun
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Also d.o.e. depends on experience; depending on experience: used in stating a salary range in help-wanted ads.
abbreviation
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(in Canada and, formerly, in Britain) Department of the Environment
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(in the US) Department of Energy
noun
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law (formerly) the plaintiff in a fictitious action, Doe versus Roe, to test a point of law See also Roe
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an unknown or unidentified male or female person
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of doe
First recorded before 1000; Middle English do, Old English dā; cognate with Danish daa; akin to Old English dēon “to suck”
Explanation
A doe is a deer, a female deer. Doe can also refer to the female of other animals, but it’s usually a deer. You might spot a doe in the spring, walking through the woods with her babies. There are several four-legged mammals whose females are called does, including goats, antelopes, and even rabbits. The males are called bucks. The words doe and buck are like woman and man for the furry set. Oddly, you can also refer to female guinea pigs, mice, and weasels as does, although doe usually means a deer. The word comes from the Old English da, or "female deer," which probably stems from a Celtic root.
Vocabulary lists containing doe
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Occidental Petroleum, which planned to open a direct-air-capture hub in Texas, was also on the DOE list.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026
The DOE is directed to give recommendations to address “any gaps” in the supply chain.
From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026
The team also conducted detailed materials analysis and neutron diffraction experiments at ORNL's Spallation Neutron Source, a DOE Office of Science user facility.
From Science Daily • Mar. 10, 2026
The energy secretary sent energy reliability coordinators and balancing authorities a letter Thursday telling them that the DOE would make backup power available to address what he calls a “national energy emergency.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 22, 2026
DOE already had a computer security group, known as CIAC, the Computer Incident Advisory Capability.
From Underground by Dreyfus, Suelette
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.