reindeer

American  

[reyn-deer] / ˈreɪnˌdɪər /

noun

reindeers plural

1. any of several large deer of the genus Rangifer, of northern and Arctic regions of Europe, Asia, and North America, both male and female of which have antlers.

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reindeer British  

/ ˈreɪnˌdɪə /

noun

1. a large deer, Rangifer tarandus , having large branched antlers in the male and female and inhabiting the arctic regions of Greenland, Europe, and Asia. It also occurs in North America, where it is known as a caribou

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• reindeers
  plural
• reindeer
  plural

Etymology

Origin of reindeer

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English raynder(e), from Old Norse hreindȳri, equivalent to hreinn “reindeer” + dȳr “animal” (cognate with deer )

Compare meaning

How does reindeer compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• reindeer vs. deer
• caribou vs. reindeer

Explanation

A reindeer is a large, hoofed mammal with antlers. Contrary to popular Christmas folklore, reindeer can't really fly. Shhhhh. The mythological reindeer that pull Santa Claus's sleigh first appeared in print during the nineteenth century in the United States. Real reindeer are found in Northern Europe, North America, and Siberia — although North American reindeer are more often called caribou. In Arctic and Subarctic areas, reindeer are regularly hunted and raised for their meat, milk, and hides. Reindeer comes from a Scandinavian root, similar to the Old Norse hreindyri.

Example Sentences

This would have served as an important feeding ground in the summer for animals such as mammoth, bison, horse, elk, and reindeer, and would have in turn drawn hunter gatherers toward the area.

From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026

Early humans likely followed migrating herds of reindeer and horses northward into newly opened grasslands that could support grazing animals.

From Science Daily • May 13, 2026

During Thursday's second semi-final, Ireland's RTE will be showing "The End of the World with Beanz", featuring 1993 Eurovision winner Niamh Kavanagh in Norway experiencing life as a reindeer herder.

From Barron's • May 11, 2026

They invited over 30 experts from around the world who cared about caribou—including Indigenous peoples, academics, zookeepers, and reindeer experts from Finland—to independently review the evidence for each assumption.

From Slate • Apr. 28, 2026

As time passed, the bands spread far and wide, pursuing mammoths, mastodons, rhinoceroses and reindeer.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari