deer
deer
Deer (noun) means a hoofed, often antlered mammal of the family Cervidae, such as a stag, doe, or elk. Example: “We spotted a young deer standing still among the trees.”
noun
1
A hoofed, often antlered mammal of the family Cervidae, such as a stag, doe, or elk.
"We spotted a young deer standing still among the trees."
"A deer darted across the road at dusk."
"Deer graze quietly at the edge of the forest each morning."
2
The meat of such an animal; venison.
"The restaurant serves deer with red cabbage and roast potatoes."
"Deer is leaner than beef and has a rich, gamey flavour."
"The hunters brought home deer for the winter."
How to use deer
Learner’s notes
Common mistake
The plural is "deer," not "deers" — like "sheep" and "fish," it stays the same in the plural.
Easily confused with
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Word forms
- Plural
- deers
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We spotted a young _____ standing still among the trees.
Etymology
From Old English dēor ("animal, beast"), which originally meant any wild animal, not just the antlered kind — the narrower modern sense developed later in English. The word is cognate with German Tier ("animal").
Related words
Rhymes for deer
See all rhymes for deer →Frequently asked questions
What does “deer” mean?
The word “deer” means a hoofed, often antlered mammal of the family Cervidae, such as a stag, doe, or elk.
How do you pronounce “deer”?
“Deer” is pronounced deer (/dɪɹ/ in IPA).
How do you use “deer” in a sentence?
Here is “deer” used in a sentence: “A deer darted across the road at dusk.”
What part of speech is “deer”?
“Deer” is a noun.
Where does the word “deer” come from?
The word “deer” comes from Old English. From Old English dēor ("animal, beast"), which originally meant any wild animal, not just the antlered kind — the narrower modern sense developed later in English. The word is cognate with German Tier ("animal").
Is “deer” a common word?
“Deer” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “deer” have?
“Deer” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a hoofed, often antlered mammal of the family Cervidae, such as a stag, doe, or elk.
What is the plural of deer?
Deer is unchanged in the plural, so you say "one deer" and "several deer," never "deers." This makes it an unchanging plural like sheep and fish.
What is the difference between deer, stag, doe, and fawn?
Deer is the general name for the hoofed, often antlered mammal of the family Cervidae. A stag is an adult male, a doe is an adult female, and a fawn is a young deer, so these words specify age and sex within the deer family.
What is the difference between deer and venison?
Deer refers to the live animal of the family Cervidae, while venison is the word for its meat. So you hunt a deer but eat venison, though deer can also loosely refer to the meat itself.
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