English Explanatory Dictionary

reindeer

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Any Arctic and subarctic-dwelling deer of the species Rangifer tarandus, with a number of subspecies.
  2. Any species, subspecies, ecotype, or other scientific grouping of such animals.
verb
  1. To herd or farm reindeer

Pronunciation

/ˈɹeɪndɪə/ /ˈɹeɪndɪɹ/ en-us-reindeer.ogg

Word forms

reindeer reindeers reindeering reindeered

Etymology

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.

Derived words

Arctic reindeer busk reindeer carideer cow reindeer Finnish forest reindeer Kamchatkan reindeer mountain reindeer Novaya Zemlya reindeer reindeer calf reindeer corn reindeer games Reindeer Lake reindeer lichen reindeer moss reindeer spitz Siberian forest reindeer Siberian tundra reindeer Svalbard reindeer wild reindeer
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