reindeer

noun

rein·​deer ˈrān-ˌdir How to pronounce reindeer (audio)
: caribou
—used especially for one of the Old World

Examples of reindeer in a Sentence

a large herd of reindeer
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.
According to Kaarlela, the Sápmi world, its language, land, family, reindeer herding, sense of belonging and silence are all integral to the story. — Marta Balaga, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026 The temperature finally dropped below 80 degrees, and yet the reindeer are already primed to take their yearly trip from the North Pole. — Joy Harden Bradford, AJC.com, 1 Oct. 2026 School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, might well come closest in approach to Kimberly Belflower’s urgent John Proctor Is The Villain in its insistence that homeroom sadism doesn’t just spring from hormones or reindeer game competition. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2026 The world’s estimated 500 million pastoralists have fine-tuned the skill of living off the meat, dairy, fibers, and hides produced by their herds of sheep, cattle, camels, yaks, reindeer, and llamas. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for reindeer

Word History

Etymology

Middle English reindere, from Old Norse hreinn reindeer + Middle English deer animal, deer

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of reindeer was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing reindeer

Rhymes for reindeer

See All Rhymes for reindeer

Browse Nearby Words

reincorporate
reindeer
Reindeer Lake
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Reindeer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reindeer. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

reindeer

noun
rein·​deer ˈrān-ˌdi(ə)r How to pronounce reindeer (audio)
plural reindeer also reindeers
: caribou
—used especially for one of the Old World

More from Merriam-Webster on reindeer

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about reindeer

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