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:
Such images urge an ironic interpretation of the show’s title, “Precious Moments,” which refers to a line of collectible, often Christian-themed figurines that depict cute, mostly white children with doe eyes and oversized heads.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 16, 2026
The “Christmas magic” that allows the doe to fly does not work on other creatures.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 4, 2025
"Walking through the woods, I spotted this roe doe grazing the foliage," says Walker-Nix.
From BBC ● Mar. 14, 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
The gull kept flying backward and forward along the direct line to the bank, only alighting now and then to guide Bigwig toward some straggling doe whom he had spotted going the wrong way.
From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams
The work was supported by the DOE Office of Science, Office of Fusion Energy Sciences, under contract DE-AC02-09CH11466.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 10, 2026
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
As of December, the DOE estimated 2.7 million barrels a day could be drawn out of the 4.4 million barrels it was designed to handle, according to GAO.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
DOE was not without its share of problems in launching the anti-WANK program and advisory across HEPNET.
From Underground by Suelette Dreyfus
Still, the following year, Chi Phi, the fraternity implicated in the Jane Doe case, was among a half-dozen at Cornell found responsible for hazing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
Jane Doe, surrounded by larger men, felt intimidated and unable to leave.
From Slate ● Oct. 9, 2026
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
Last month, Jane Doe filed a civil lawsuit against the Ivy League university, in which she alleged Cornell had failed to protect her or adequately punish the men involved.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
"Doe, Chester,” I said as my nose suddenly and involuntarily closed, "I’be leaving dis roob right dow.”
From "Bunnicula" by Deborah Howe and James Howe
“This car, like most exotic cars, does not pay the bills,” Brauer said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026
Our colleague Aymann Ismail does an excellent job explaining the nature of the concerns here.
From Slate ● Oct. 17, 2026
"Reducing that noise is a major technical challenge requiring advanced technology -- and North Korea does not yet appear to have reached that level."
From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026
How does the data centre plan fit into the global debate around data centres?
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
Relief floods through me, as does a renewed anxiety that makes my legs feel mushy.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
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