red deer

¹ American  

noun

1. a deer, Cervus elaphus, of Europe and Asia, having a reddish-brown summer coat.

2. the white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus, in its summer coat.

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Red Deer ² American  

noun

1. a city in S central Alberta, in W Canada.

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Red Deer ¹ British  

noun

1. a town in S Alberta on the Red Deer River: trade centre for mixed farming, dairying region, and natural gas processing. Pop: 67 707 (2001)

2. a river in W Canada, in SW Alberta, flowing southeast into the South Saskatchewan River. Length: about 620 km (385 miles)

3. a river in W Canada, flowing east through Red Deer Lake into Lake Winnipegosis. Length: about 225 km (140 miles)

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red deer ² British  

noun

1. a large deer, Cervus elaphus , formerly widely distributed in the woodlands of Europe and Asia. The coat is reddish brown in summer and the short tail is surrounded by a patch of light-coloured hair

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Etymology

Origin of red deer

late Middle English word dating back to 1425–75

Example Sentences

In the wild they prey on roe deer, young red deer and also hares and rabbits.

From BBC • Jan. 10, 2025

Alongside the occasional bison and elk, red deer are Europe's largest native wild animal.

From Science Daily • Jan. 10, 2024

The evaluation of the data showed that human hunting reduced red deer density more than the presence of all large carnivores.

From Science Daily • Jan. 10, 2024

Passengers on a boat trip off Scotland's west coast stopped to watch a red deer stag wander to the water's edge, and then jump in and swim to the far shore.

From BBC • Nov. 24, 2023

It smelt of reindeer and red deer and beaver, and fresh blood -and something else: a new smell that he hadn’t yet learnt.

From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver