reindeer

American  

[reyn-deer] / ˈreɪnˌdɪər /

noun

reindeers plural

1. any of several large deer of the genus Rangifer, of northern and Arctic regions of Europe, Asia, and North America, both male and female of which have antlers.

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reindeer British  

/ ˈreɪnˌdɪə /

noun

1. a large deer, Rangifer tarandus , having large branched antlers in the male and female and inhabiting the arctic regions of Greenland, Europe, and Asia. It also occurs in North America, where it is known as a caribou

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• reindeers
  plural
• reindeer
  plural

Etymology

Origin of reindeer

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English raynder(e), from Old Norse hreindȳri, equivalent to hreinn “reindeer” + dȳr “animal” (cognate with deer )

Compare meaning

How does reindeer compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• reindeer vs. deer
• caribou vs. reindeer

Explanation

A reindeer is a large, hoofed mammal with antlers. Contrary to popular Christmas folklore, reindeer can't really fly. Shhhhh. The mythological reindeer that pull Santa Claus's sleigh first appeared in print during the nineteenth century in the United States. Real reindeer are found in Northern Europe, North America, and Siberia — although North American reindeer are more often called caribou. In Arctic and Subarctic areas, reindeer are regularly hunted and raised for their meat, milk, and hides. Reindeer comes from a Scandinavian root, similar to the Old Norse hreindyri.

Example Sentences

Evidence shows that reindeer and horses were already becoming more common in southern Britain around 15,500 years ago, shortly before the warming period.

From Science Daily • May 13, 2026

They invited over 30 experts from around the world who cared about caribou—including Indigenous peoples, academics, zookeepers, and reindeer experts from Finland—to independently review the evidence for each assumption.

From Slate • Apr. 28, 2026

The meal begins with scallop brightened with currant and rye-seasoned buttermilk, then slow-cooked reindeer, sirloin and tongue, finished over wood, mushroom purée beneath and fermented cabbage cutting richness.

From Salon • Mar. 8, 2026

Braathen named the reindeer he received for victory in the Finnish resort after the "very special person in my life", his father Bjorn.

From Barron's • Feb. 14, 2026

The yards were dry and overgrown, and lighted reindeer and inflated snow globes from Christmas still littered some of the front lawns.

From "The Book of Unknown Americans" by Cristina Henríquez