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

Examples of mule deer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Creatures people see regularly include bobcats, gray foxes, mule deer, coyotes, reptiles (though not in winter), and collared peccaries, which resemble small pigs and travel around in little family groups eating cacti. —Carrie Dennis, Travel + Leisure, 31 Dec. 2024

Those results made headlines with stories of mule deer faithfully following the same 150- or even 250-mile migrations up and over mountain ranges. —Christine Peterson, Vox, 23 Dec. 2024

And for people interested in wildlife viewing, the park is a haven for mule deer, antelope, grouse, and turkey. —Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 18 Dec. 2024

Those species included 19 mammals ranging is size from jackrabbits, striped skunks and coatis to mule deer, white-tail deer and bears. —Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 27 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1805, in the meaning defined above

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