Also d.o.e. depends on experience; depending on experience: used in stating a salary range in help-wanted ads.
(in Canada and, formerly, in Britain) Department of the Environment
(in the US) Department of Energy
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
First recorded before 1000; Middle English do, Old English dā; cognate with Danish daa; akin to Old English dēon “to suck”
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.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The DOE review reprieved nearly 2,000 clean-technology projects, totaling close to $24 billion in funding.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026
The DOE is also expected to provide uranium for reactor fuel where “commercial sources are insufficient or unavailable.”
From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026
A first U.S. tranche of 45.2 million barrels began Friday via exchanges under which the DOE expects to receive 55 million barrels in return.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026
The document argues that improving these tools is essential for giving DOE and Congress the data needed to accelerate the development of commercial fusion power plants.
From Science Daily • Mar. 3, 2026
At the same time, Oberman revised his anti-WANK program for DOE.
From Underground by Dreyfus, Suelette
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
