reindeer

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   Arctic deer with large antlers in both sexes

   Called `reindeer' in Eurasia and `caribou' in North America.

2. 2
   noun

   Any Arctic and subarctic-dwelling deer of the species Rangifer tarandus, with a number of subspecies.

   Santa Claus' sleigh is supposedly pulled by nine reindeer.

3. 3
   noun

   Any species, subspecies, ecotype, or other scientific grouping of such animals.

4. 4
   verb

   To herd or farm reindeer

Common collocations

• reindeer moss Noun + noun

From Middle English reyndere, reynder, rayne-dere, from Old Norse hreindýri (“reindeer”), from hreinn (“reindeer”) + dýr (“animal”). Compare Dutch rendier (“reindeer”), German Rentier (“reindeer”), Swedish rendjur (“reindeer”), Danish rensdyr (“reindeer”) and French renne (“reindeer”). Related also to displaced Old English hrān (“reindeer”). Unrelated to rein.

Topics

External links

• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary
• Google Images