red deer
1 Americannoun
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a deer, Cervus elaphus, of Europe and Asia, having a reddish-brown summer coat.
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the white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus, in its summer coat.
noun
noun
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a town in S Alberta on the Red Deer River: trade centre for mixed farming, dairying region, and natural gas processing. Pop: 67 707 (2001)
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a river in W Canada, in SW Alberta, flowing southeast into the South Saskatchewan River. Length: about 620 km (385 miles)
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a river in W Canada, flowing east through Red Deer Lake into Lake Winnipegosis. Length: about 225 km (140 miles)
noun
Etymology
Origin of red deer
late Middle English word dating back to 1425–75
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.
As the day went on, we saw wild boar, red deer and a single nervous fox.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 30, 2026
"Carrots are a real focus for them. They even dig potatoes up, believe it or not. The big red deer dig potatoes out of the ground," he explained.
From BBC • Feb. 19, 2026
A red deer stag bellows during the autumn rut at Bradgate Park, as captured by Miss Smart from a safe distance.
From BBC • Aug. 26, 2025
Human land use, on the other hand, led to an increase in red deer density.
From Science Daily • Jan. 10, 2024
Marya was mistress of a small keep on Cape Wrath, with servants who called her m’lady, and Davos could hunt red deer in his own woods.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
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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.