fawn

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A young deer.

   The city recently carried out a deer census, determining there are 313 stags (males), 798 does (females) and 214 fawns (babies) in Nara Park.

2. 2
   verb

   To seek favour by flattery and obsequious behaviour.

   You showed your teeth like apes, and fawned like hounds.

From Middle English fawne, fowne, foun, from Old French faon, foon, feon, from Vulgar Latin *fētōnem, from Latin fētus (“offspring, young”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁(y)- (“to suckle, nurse”). Displaced native Old English hindċealf (literally “deer calf”). Doublet of fetus.

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