deer

American  

[deer] / dɪər /

noun

plural

deer,

plural

deers

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.

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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

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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

Example Sentences

Deeper analysis showed ravens were in fact revisiting spots where wolves commonly took down prey -- animals like deer, elk or bison -- suggesting the birds were creating and memorizing a "resource landscape."

From Barron's • Mar. 12, 2026

Because deer are smaller and can be eaten more quickly, this change reduces the amount of time cougars spend at a carcass, lowering the chance that wolves will show up.

From Science Daily • Mar. 3, 2026

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

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 3, 2026

A lonely coyote stalks the barren ground around oil pump jacks; a dead deer, its eye milky white, lies on a fern-like blanket of boughs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

It must have been a deer, I think.

From "Blood on the River" by Elisa Carbone