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

Monday’s item on the booming deer population in Massachusetts and the movement to allow hunting on Sundays has inspired poetry from a longtime reader:

From The Wall Street Journal

On Japan's Notsuke Peninsula, a sika deer was seen carrying the head of a rival after a fight.

From BBC

They also documented where and when wolves killed prey, mainly elk, bison, and deer.

From Science Daily

Too late, he remembered the neat bundles of dried deer meat, forgotten at the shelter.

From Literature

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