reindeer

American  

[reyn-deer] / ˈreɪnˌdɪər /

noun

plural

reindeer,

plural

reindeers

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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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

Sámi reindeer herders carried leather coffee pouches into forests for generations.

From Salon • Mar. 8, 2026

Local Facebook groups were flooded with complaints from Inuit hunters annoyed that the thudding helicopters scared away the reindeer from traditional hunting grounds.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 10, 2026

They added adorable decorations to the foyer, including reindeer heading toward the light fixture.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 30, 2025

It's also got a proper tree with decorations, there's a Rudolf reindeer toy and they've put some thought into all the splashes of red.

From BBC • Dec. 22, 2025

They leaned their heads together and tried to make themselves a two-headed reindeer with the headband straddling them both.

From "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman