deer

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A ruminant mammal with hooves and often antlers, of the family Cervidae, or one of several similar animals from related families of the order Artiodactyla, such as the musk deer or mouse deer.

   Deer sperm was in used among the Romans as an aphrodisiac.

2. 2
   noun

   The meat of such an animal, obtained through the process of hunting or from specialized deer farms; venison.

   I'd never had deer before I ate dinner with the Johanssens. In time I learned to like it; its gaminess is an acquired taste.

3. 3
   noun

   Any animal, especially a quadrupedal mammal as opposed to a bird, fish, etc.

   But mice and rats and such small deer, have been Tom's food for seven long year.

4. 4
   noun

   distinguished from Bovidae by the male's having solid deciduous antlers

5. 5
   name

   Villages in Aberdeenshire, Scotland: See New Deer and Old Deer.

6. 6
   name

   A township in Roseau County, Minnesota, United States.

7. 7
   name

   An unincorporated community in Osage County, Missouri, United States.

Etymology

From Middle English der, deer (“animal, deer”), from Old English dēor (“animal”), from Proto-West Germanic *deuʀ, from Proto-Germanic *deuzą, from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewsóm (“living thing”), from *dʰéws (“breath”), full-grade derivative of *dʰwes-. Cognate with Scots deer (“deer”), North Frisian dier (“animal, beast”), West Frisian dier (“animal, beast”), Dutch dier (“animal, beast”), German Low German Deer, Deert (“animal”), German Tier (“animal, beast”), Swedish djur (“animal, beast”), Norwegian dyr (“animal, beast”), Icelandic dýr (“animal, beast”), Danish dyr (“animal, beast”). Related…