noun
deer
deer
noun
1
A hoofed, often antlered mammal of the family Cervidae, such as a stag, doe, or elk.
"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 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
Word Forms
deer plural, deers plural
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A _____ darted across the road at dusk.
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").