doe
noun
the female of the deer, antelope, goat, rabbit, and certain other animals.
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doe
1 American
[doh]
/ doʊ /
noun
-
does,
plural
-
doe
plural
DOE
2
American
-
Also d.o.e. depends on experience; depending on experience: used in stating a salary range in help-wanted ads.
DOE
1
British
abbreviation
-
(in Canada and, formerly, in Britain) Department of the Environment
-
(in the US) Department of Energy
Doe
2
British
/ dəʊ /
noun
-
law (formerly) the plaintiff in a fictitious action, Doe versus Roe, to test a point of law See also Roe
-
an unknown or unidentified male or female person
doe
3
British
/ dəʊ /
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of doe
First recorded before 1000; Middle English do, Old English dā; cognate with Danish daa; akin to Old English dēon “to suck”
Explanation
A doe is a deer, a female deer. Doe can also refer to the female of other animals, but it’s usually a deer. You might spot a doe in the spring, walking through the woods with her babies. There are several four-legged mammals whose females are called does, including goats, antelopes, and even rabbits. The males are called bucks. The words doe and buck are like woman and man for the furry set. Oddly, you can also refer to female guinea pigs, mice, and weasels as does, although doe usually means a deer. The word comes from the Old English da, or "female deer," which probably stems from a Celtic root.
Vocabulary lists containing doe
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:
On a sunny morning in September, a dead doe lay on the side of a small road just off 395, as cars whizzed by on the artery that connects communities along the Eastern Sierra.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 10, 2025
The “Christmas magic” that allows the doe to fly does not work on other creatures.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 4, 2025
Mary Slater, 84, said, while her dog doe not mind fireworks going off, her son's dog was "absolutely terrified".
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2024
Duntsova stresses she doe not see herself as an opposition politician, but one motivated by “human, usual, ordinary ethical values.”
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 10, 2023
Before she bounded off, the doe sent another look straight at Peter, one that seemed to say, You humans.
From "Pax" by Sara Pennypacker
Shortly before the plant was scheduled to close, the DOE invoked a rarely used Federal Power Act provision for electricity emergencies to keep it running.
From Slate ● Sep. 25, 2026
That 70 million barrels might be the minimum operation levels based on technical considerations, but the DOE seems to “assume optimal operations,” said Michael Lynch, president of Strategic Energy & Economic Research.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026
A DOE official said it was unlikely that the administration would need to release all the authorized barrels.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
To understand exactly what was happening inside the material, the team carried out experiments at the Spallation Neutron Source, a DOE Office of Science user facility operated by ORNL.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 11, 2026
"The DOE smashed that but fast," Scott interrupted.
From Terminal Compromise: computer terrorism: when privacy and freedom are the victims: a novel by Winn Schwartau
The man, who said he had an unwritten $3.5 million hush-money pact with Hastert, was identified in the lawsuit only as James Doe.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026
"What happened to Jane Doe in 2024 is deeply disturbing and will weigh heavily on our community for years to come."
From Barron's ● Oct. 4, 2026
My research leads me to ask another question: When Jane Doe first reported what happened to her, was the response consistent with the basic principles of trauma-informed and gender-responsive policing?
From Slate ● Oct. 2, 2026
Jane Doe filed a civil lawsuit against the Ivy League university in September.
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026
“We have a John Doe at 451 Boardman.”
From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young
“But I’m looking forward to whatever the rest of this year does hold, with the Super Bowl and all that and where my next landing spot may be.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026
I am not entirely sure the headphones do a lot to add to the experience, but the sound design by the Ringhams has an impressive precision, as does the shadowy lighting design by Ben Jacobs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
The free portion of Boldin does not simulate Roth conversion activity — you have to pay for that level of analysis.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 15, 2026
I am saying something that does not require a conspiracy at all.
From Salon ● Oct. 15, 2026
Renato knows this, and so does Joey’s doctor.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
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