Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

deer mouse

American  
deer mouse British  

noun

  1. any of various mice of the genus Peromyscus, esp P. maniculatus, of North and Central America, having brownish fur with white underparts: family Cricetidae See also white-footed mouse

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of deer mouse

An Americanism dating back to 1825–35

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.

See Examples For:

Supporting characters like Fiona, a flying squirrel, and Dash, a deer mouse, round out the cast.

From Los Angeles Times Mar. 3, 2026

Whereas the deer mouse is promiscuous -- even a single litter of pups can have four different fathers -- the oldfield mouse mates for life.

From Science Daily May 15, 2024

A deer mouse, temporarily captured for a behavioral test before being rereleased to the grounds of a study site at the University of Maine in late October.Credit...

From New York Times Nov. 25, 2022

Figure 37.1 In the southwestern United States, rainy weather causes an increase in production of pinyon nuts, causing the deer mouse population to explode.

From Textbooks Jun. 9, 2022

This was a deer mouse, a little creature with big eyes and long hind legs like a miniature kangaroo.

From "The Incredible Journey" by Sheila Burnford

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training