Skip to content

reindeer

noun

  1. type of deer
  2. domesticated reindeer
L41857 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /ˈɹeɪndɪə/ / /ˈɹeɪndɪɹ/

noun

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.

  1. 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

    Here is a prodigious number of wild beaſts, as ſtags, bears, wolves, foxes of various colours, martens, hares, glittens, beavers, otters, elk, and rein deer: the latter is leſs than a stag.

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

verb

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.

  1. To herd or farm reindeer