deers

Variant of deer

deer definition

deer (dir)

noun pl. deer or deers

  1. any of a family (Cervidae) of ruminants, including the elk, moose, and reindeer; esp., the smaller species, as the white-tailed deer and mule deer: in most species, usually only the males grow and shed bony antlers annually
  2. Obsolete any animal; beast

Etymology: ME der < OE deor, wild animal, akin to Ger tier, ON dȳr < IE base *dhewes, *dheus-, to stir up, blow, breathe (> dusk, doze, fury): for sense development cf. animal

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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