mule deer

noun

: a long-eared deer (Odocoileus hemionus) of western North America that is larger and more heavily built than the white-tailed deer

Illustration of mule deer

Illustration of mule deer

Examples of mule deer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That 1959 bag of mule deer was the largest anywhere in the nation. — Erwin A. Bauer, Outdoor Life, 14 Oct. 2026 Animals sightings might include moose, elk, mule deer, ermine, wolves, foxes, bears (both grizzly and black), bald eagles and other birds of prey, and waterfowl like trumpeter swans. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 On previous survey nights that lasted until sunrise, the researchers have seen mule deer, bobcats, badgers and foxes prowling in the cover of the dark. — Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 21 Sep. 2026 But on Thursday, a final ruling denied the request to halt the initial phase of invasive mule deer removal. — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mule deer

Word History

First Known Use

1805, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mule deer was in 1805

Rhymes for mule deer

See All Rhymes for mule deer

Browse Nearby Words

mule chest
mule deer
mule-ears
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mule deer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mule%20deer. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

mule deer

noun
: a long-eared deer of western North America that is larger and more heavily built than the white-tailed deer

More from Merriam-Webster on mule deer

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mule deer

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All