deer
gb/dˈɪɹ/ us/dˈɪɹ/
A2
English
~ 6200
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
Hoofed wild mammal (Cervidae)
A wild animal with hooves and usually antlers that lives in forests or fields and eats plants.
Usage pattern:
a/the deer [verb]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes write the plural as *deers*. The correct plural form is the same as the singular: *one deer, two deer*. Learners may also confuse *deer* (the animal) with *dear* (a word for someone you care about or meaning ‘expensive’); they sound the same but are spelled differently and have different meanings.
Synonyms
wild animal (More general; refers to any animal living in nature, not specifically a deer.)
Antonyms
livestock (Refers to farm animals kept by people, the opposite of wild animals like deer.)
Collocations
wild deer
|herd of deer
|deer hunting
|deer season
|deer population
|deer meat
Themes
animals
|nature
|environment
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- A deer jumped across the road in front of our car.
- We saw three deer grazing at the edge of the forest.
- The park is home to several species of deer, including red deer and fallow deer.
- Hunters need a special license to shoot deer during the fall season.
- Deer often come into the fields at night to feed on the crops.
Learner examples
- A deer is eating grass near the trees.
- We saw two deer in the park yesterday.
- There are many deer in this forest.
- The sign warns drivers about deer on the road.
Grammar
Dictionary form
deer
IPA
GB/dˈɪɹ/
US/dˈɪɹ/
Syllables & stress
deer (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (deer)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: deer
- Plural: deer, deers
Word family
Forms
deers
noun
Core family
reindeer
noun
Related words
Advanced or less common
deerskin
noun
Expressions
deer crossing
1/dˈɪɹ kɹˈɔsɪŋ/
fixed phrase
Road area where deer often cross
A place where deer often cross a road, usually shown by a special road sign.
Examples
- Slow down; there’s a deer crossing sign up ahead.
- This stretch of highway is known as a deer crossing, especially at night.
- They put up a new deer crossing sign after several accidents last year.
deer season
1/dˈɪɹ sˈizən/
fixed phrase
Period when deer hunting is legal
The time of year when the law allows people to hunt deer.
Examples
- The town gets a lot of visitors during deer season.
- He bought a new rifle just before deer season started.
- Deer season is strictly controlled to protect the animal population.
like a deer in the headlights
1/lˈaɪk ə dˈɪɹ ˈɪn ðə hˈɛdlˌaɪts/
idiom
Frozen, unable to react from fear
To look or feel very afraid or surprised so that you cannot move or act.
Examples
- When the teacher called his name, he just stood there like a deer in the headlights.
- The company’s spokesperson looked like a deer in the headlights when reporters asked about the scandal.
- She froze like a deer in the headlights when she saw the car coming toward her.