roe deer

American  

noun

1. a small, agile Old World deer, Capreolus capreolus, the male of which has three-pointed antlers.

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roe deer British  

noun

1. a small graceful deer, Capreolus capreolus , of woodlands of Europe and Asia. The antlers are small and the summer coat is reddish-brown

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Etymology

Origin of roe deer

before 1000; Old English rāhdēor (not recorded in ME)

Example Sentences

The perceived benefits included ecotourism and lynx helping to control roe deer numbers in areas where they damage woodland, but there were concerns that lynx could prey on livestock.

From BBC • Apr. 25, 2023

As I walked, a prairie dog yelped, and roe deer scurried down into the valley.

From Washington Post • Aug. 26, 2022

It’s a broad menagerie, including 13 lions, a leopard, a tiger, three deer, wolves, foxes, raccoons and roe deer, as well as domesticated animals like horses, donkeys, goats, rabbits, dogs, cats and birds.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 6, 2022

“Generally baby roe deer are smaller than the height of the grass,” he said.

From New York Times • Jul. 3, 2021

The former bodyguard said Kim Jong II often went there to hunt roe deer, pheasants, and wild geese.

From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden