An Americanism first recorded in 1665–75; from Canadian French caribou, replacing earlier English caribo, both from Mi'kmaq γalipu derivative (agent noun) of γalipi- “shovel snow,” from unattested Proto-Algonquian maka·lipi-; called the snow-shoveler from its habit of scraping aside snow with its front hoofs in search of food
How does caribou compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
A caribou is a large animal with four legs, hooves, and big antlers. In Europe and Asia, a caribou is known as a reindeer. In North America, caribou live in parts of Canada and Alaska, in both tundra and boreal forests. Many caribou migrate long distances, and all of them are herbivores, living to a great degree on a specific type of lichen. The word caribou is originally French Canadian, from the Micmac word kaleboo, "the one who paws," for the way caribou scratch the snow aside to find moss in the winter.
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Trucks hauled parts for drilling rigs along gravel roads crossed by caribou.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
But the destruction of forests means that woodland caribou are threatened or endangered, and the population in Jasper National Park is so small that it is heading toward extinction.
From Slate ● Apr. 28, 2026
Olsen told AFP of the tears of pride she shed when her grandson killed his first caribou at age 11, preferring to talk about her family than about Trump.
From Barron's ● Feb. 6, 2026
She is now in the process of mapping out the route her family has taken for generations while migrating south in spring, towards the caribou hunting grounds.
From BBC ● Apr. 9, 2025
Munching another bite, she went out to the grass clump to check on buntings, and a long time later returned to eat two more chunks of caribou.
From "Julie of the Wolves" by Jean Craighead George
The baggage-claim area even looks homey, with lots of seating and a Caribou Coffee outlet.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
In Caribou, in the northeastern tip of the state, it was 96 degrees, tying the highest temperature ever recorded there.
From New York Times ● Jun. 19, 2024
“There was something sort of absurd about the name Caribou, it just made make me laugh,” said Buchheit, the 23rd employee hired at a company that now employs more than 180,000 people.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 31, 2024
The deluge caused a house to slide off its foundation on Caribou Lane in Beverly Glen, a mountainous neighborhood northwest of Beverly Hills.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 16, 2024
To the west of the great valley just referred to rises the Gold system, composed principally of the Selkirk, Purcell, Columbia, and Caribou Ranges.
From North America by Russell, Israel C. (Cook)
Since 2015, a slaughter has unfolded in the mountains of British Columbia, all in the name of saving southern mountain caribous, classified as threatened in Canada.
From Science Magazine ● Apr. 17, 2024
Yet it was along Highway 37 that we saw the richest array of wildlife: bears, moose, foxes, wild horses, eagles and caribous.
From New York Times ● Jul. 8, 2011
"You want to act like the smart caribous and stand in the middle of the pack," says Crane.
From Time Magazine Archive
Black Cat and Sable called all the animals and birds to the feast; the caribous, wild horses, and swift animals and birds were first to arrive at the feast.
From Contribution to Passamaquoddy Folk-Lore by Fewkes, Jesse Walter
No game was brought down but that required for food, such as caribous, Polar hares, &c., which, strange to say, instead of being scared away by the guns, continued to multiply near the fort.
From The Fur Country Seventy Degrees North Latitude by D'Anvers, N.
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.
