deer

American  

[deer] / dɪər /

noun

deer, plural deers plural

1. any of several ruminants of the family Cervidae, most of the males of which have solid, deciduous antlers.

2. any of the smaller species of this family, as distinguished from the moose, elk, etc.

---

deer British  

/ dɪə /

noun

1. any ruminant artiodactyl mammal of the family Cervidae, including reindeer, elk, muntjacs, and roe deer, typically having antlers in the male

2. (in N Canada) another name for caribou

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• deer
  plural
• deers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of deer

before 900; Middle English der, Old English dēor beast; akin to Gothic dius beast, Old High German tior

Compare meaning

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

• reindeer vs. deer
• caribou vs. deer

Explanation

A deer is a four-legged, hoofed animal with antlers. Disney’s Bambi is a famous deer. There are deer all over the world, but American deer are light brown, and are often found nibbling on plants at dusk. The main thing that distinguishes deer from other horned animals, like antelope, is that deer shed their antlers once a year and grow new ones. A female deer, called a "doe," has smaller antlers than the male, or "buck." The Old English root of deer, deor, means "beast" or "animal," and was originally used generally to refer to all four-legged wild animals.

Example Sentences

In mid-May, public health officials in Napa County said three people had been hospitalized after eating poisonous wild mushrooms foraged in the Deer Park community.

From Los Angeles Times • May 30, 2026

But the venison market is saturated, warned Peter Windsor of the Irish Deer Society, which works to protect and maintain Ireland's wild deer herds.

From Barron's • Dec. 21, 2025

Deer are not behaving naturally as a result.

From BBC • Dec. 14, 2025

I had also joined the Deer Park branch of the Toronto Public Library and was borrowing everything I could get my hands on.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 2, 2025

Father jammed his hands into his pockets, watching White Deer wash the rice.

From "Dragonwings" by Laurence Yep