roe deer

noun

: either of two small European or Asian deer (Capreolus capreolus and C. pygarus) that have short erect antlers forked at the summit, are reddish-brown in summer and grayish in winter, have a white rump patch, and are noted for their nimbleness and grace

Illustration of roe deer

Examples of roe deer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Inside the lodge, trophies of wild boar, roe deer, eagles and bears hang from plywood walls. —Emily Soreghan, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Oct. 2024

The first holds nothing: a few blank-eyed roe deer, a blurred boar, cattle, dogs. —Emily Soreghan, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Oct. 2024

This last one was tricky, as the roe deer, which rut in June and July, were dropping their antlers, so a lack of bone on the head wasn’t sufficient to tell the boys from the girls. —John B. Snow, Outdoor Life, 6 June 2024

The study suggests that the stick was used to hunt medium-sized game such as red or roe deer, or perhaps small, fast-moving animals such as hare and birds. —Matt Hrodey, Discover Magazine, 27 July 2023

The stick was most likely used to hunt medium sized game such as red and roe deer, and potentially quicker and smaller prey including birds and hare. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 19 July 2023

The Iceman traveled with (from left) a stone dagger, arrows, a roe deer leather quiver, fungus used for tinder (not that Tinder), birch fungus and birch bark. —Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 18 Aug. 2016

Small, red-brown roe deer have the ability to postpone pregnancies until spring. —The New Yorker, 17 Feb. 2023

His fabulous furry hat, for example, came from a brown bear, while his quiver leather was from a roe deer. —Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 18 Aug. 2016

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above