reindeer

American  

[reyn-deer] / ˈreɪnˌdɪər /

noun

reindeer, plural 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

Noun Inflected Forms

• reindeer
  plural
• reindeers
  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

See Examples For:

reindeer reindeers

The program was designed to benefit both wolverines and the Indigenous Sámi reindeer herders who share the landscape with them.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 1, 2026

Few species are more iconic than caribou, known as reindeer in other parts of the world.

From Slate ● Apr. 28, 2026

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

From Salon ● Mar. 8, 2026

Braathen named the reindeer he received for victory in the Finnish resort after the "very special person in my life", his father Bjorn.

From Barron's ● Feb. 14, 2026

Without so much as a glance Emily’s way, James jumped to his feet and ran upstairs, the bells on his reindeer antlers jingling with every step.

From "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman

City Light did not specify if weather, everyday wildlife or reindeers tangled in power lines were to blame.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 25, 2023

And the amount of carrots thrown away every year by UK homes could feed Santa's nine reindeers a carrot a day for nearly 500,000 years.

From BBC ● Dec. 22, 2022

If reindeers are your favorite part of the holiday season, venture to this family-owned zoo that hosts drive-through safari rides by day.

From Washington Post ● Dec. 8, 2021

On Thursday, Salla’s Facebook page urged people to get acquainted with the Games’ dedicated mascot, a reindeer named Kesa — summer in Finnish - “and the other 10,000 reindeers in Salla.”

From Washington Times ● Jan. 28, 2021

We saw also a great many bears, foxes, and reindeers, and also immense flocks of wild geese, which we drove from their nests in order to procure their eggs, which we found excellent.

From Hair Breadth Escapes Perilous incidents in the lives of sailors and travelers in Japan, Cuba, East Indies, etc., etc. by Arthur, T. S. (Timothy Shay)