reindeer

American  

[rayn-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

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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 )

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Compare meaning

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

• reindeer vs. deer
• caribou vs. reindeer

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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

They have lived by hunting, fishing and reindeer herding for thousands of years, and been subjected to colonisation for centuries.

From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026

Introducing electric snowmobiles required the outfitter to come up with tours that cover less ground in search of reindeer, elk and ptarmigan.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026

A visitor centre which runs guided trips to see free-ranging reindeer in the area confirmed on Thursday that the animals were safe.

From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026

Evidence shows that reindeer and horses were already becoming more common in southern Britain around 15,500 years ago, shortly before the warming period.

From Science Daily ● May 13, 2026

Its head was topped with a pair of fake reindeer antlers, and it had an apple in its mouth.

From "The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm" by Nancy Farmer

His wife Lorraine said she thought he was hallucinating when he said he had reindeers in his room.

From BBC ● Dec. 22, 2024

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

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without reindeers, turtle doves, a partridge — and a Monkee.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 23, 2020

And there wuz reindeers hitched to sleds, and the low round huts of the natives lookin' jest like the pictures in our old Gography.

From Samantha at the St. Louis Exposition by Marietta Holley

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