reindeer

American  

[reyn-deer] / ˈreɪnˌdɪər /

noun

plural

reindeer,

plural

reindeers

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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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

Example Sentences

They think that Svalbard bears have adapted to recent ice loss by eating more land-based prey, including reindeer and walruses.

From BBC

Local Facebook groups were flooded with complaints from Inuit hunters annoyed that the thudding helicopters scared away the reindeer from traditional hunting grounds.

From The Wall Street Journal

On the day after Christmas, Caldeira drives past Santas and reindeer that have already begun to deflate as he listens to audio books and sips his berry energy drink.

From The Wall Street Journal

They added adorable decorations to the foyer, including reindeer heading toward the light fixture.

From MarketWatch

His reference to Tolkien’s letters from the North Pole reminded me of how we used to dig up our yard to make sled tracks and reindeer footprints to create awe and wonder for our kids.

From The Wall Street Journal